Black Mambas . . . . . . 0 Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Debutants Chicken Inn became joint leaders of the Castle Lager Premiership after posting yet another crucial victory on the road over struggling Black Mambas at Morris Depot on Thursday.
Striker, Thomas Chimenya, headed the solitary goal from a pinpoint cross by fullback Frank Mvula after 33 minutes to ensure that his team maintained their unbeaten run this season after four games.
In the process Chicken Inn capitalised on defeats to Motor Action and that of Caps United across town to share the lead with Blue Ribbon, who only lead by virtue of the alphabetical order as both teams have the same number of points and goal difference.
Motor Action lost 1-0 to Shooting Stars while Caps fell 2-0 to Blue Ribbon.
Both Blue Ribbon and Chicken Inn have 10 points from four matches with the same goal difference of +5.
An elated Chicken Inn coach, Philani Ncube, said his main aim was to ensure that his team avoids relegation at the end of the season.
“It’s a good result for us and I’m happy with the win and the fact that we have been improving with each game. Mambas is a good side but our aim was to beat them in their home ground. As far as the plan for the rest of the season is concerned, our aim is to ensure that we avoid relegation come the end of the season,” said Ncube.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Chicken Inn looked like the more seasoned premiership side, with Black Mambas looking like new boys.
Mambas coach John Ncube, who watched his team survive relegation on the last day last season, blamed the defeat on failure by his players to step up their game.
“We just didn’t play our normal game and the guys didn’t play well especially in the second half. The guys need to come back from this defeat and ensure that we don’t fight relegation again this season,” said Ncube.
Chicken Inn looked the hungrier of the two sides from the first whistle and their midfield, marshalled by the duo Thabani Goredema and Hariten Masuku, were quick to win the loose balls in the midfield battle.
It didn’t come as a surprise his team finally broke the deadlock after 33 minutes to take a deserved lead after gangly striker Qinani Sibanda had fluffed a couple of gilt-edged chances.
Roving righty fullback, Mvula was left unmarked on the wide right by Mambas’ Tawanda Muswere, which gave him time to release a cross that was nodded by Chimenya past Didymus Chakabva in goals for Mambas.
Mambas’ best chance of the game came from a dead ball situation just before halftime when Muswere’s free-kick came off the cross-bar and Andrew Musasa set the rebound over the bar from close range.
While many would have expected Inn to sit back and defend their slender lead in the second half, they did completely the opposite as they dominated. However, Mambas would threaten to grab a late equaliser after the introduction of former Warriors captain Peter Ndlovu.
The veteran striker recovered from a slow start with a late onslaught in which he came close to drawing parity with two late chances. However, the defensive partnership of Hebert Dick and Sikhumbuzo Banda always seemed in control of the situation.
