An own goal by captain Guthrie Zhokinyi in the 79th minute sank defending champions Dynamos as they slipped back to position two on the log standings in a near-volatile Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
Report by Fortune Mbele Sports Reporter
It was sweet victory for Chicken Inn who lost to the Glamour Boys 2-1 in the reverse fixture in May at Rufaro.
Substitute Tendai Mukambi rose from the bench in the 67th minute to put pressure on Ocean Mushure and Zhokinyi before the latter buried the ball in his own net with an advancing goalkeeper George Chigova.
The loss meant that Highlanders, who completed a double over troubled Hwange yesterday, return to the top spot with 53 points after beating the coalminers 1-0 at the Colliery, reaching a 23-match unbeaten run in the league.
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Three red cards were flashed at Barbourfields where referee Happy Mabhena failed to stamp full authority.
Chicken Inn striker Thomas Chimenya saw red as he wasted time after he was substituted in the 83rd minute, while defender Moses Jackson and Dynamos striker Rodreck Mutuma were shown the red card for engaging in a scuffle after Mabhena had blown the whistle to end the match.
It was a well-deserved win for the Bulawayo side who dominated the game, but lacked the killer punch upfront before the forceful Mukambi came in to replace an ineffective Evans Chikwaikwai.
Chicken Inn assistant coach Mandla Mpofu was elated at his side’s felling of the Harare giants.
“We were in total control of the game from the outset. The boys showed a lot of character. Of course, we were a bit under pressure because Dynamos is a big team, but at the end of the day we collected maximum points. We told the boys to go in and attack. Our objective is to end the season in a better position than last year and we want to win all our remaining games,” Mpofu said.
Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa said: “Our guys were just pumping the ball forward and the Chicken Inn guys had the height advantage. There must be composure upfront. With this type of game, we have to regroup so that we collect maximum points in the next games.”
The first half did not have much to offer with action swinging from one end to the other with the Dynamos pair of Mutuma and Martin Vengesayi kept at bay by the impressive Chicken Inn duo of skipper Felix Chindungwe and Guide Goddard.
Chimenya and Chikwaikwai did not click for Chicken Inn upfront while Under-20 Young Warrior Kudakwashe Mahachi gave DeMbare right-back David Kutyauripo a torrid time.
However, referee Mabhena came under the spotlight in the 43rd minute when he denied Dynamos what looked like a penalty after Chicken Inn shot stopper Liberty Chirava pulled down Vengesai inside the box after failing to safely collect a Denver Mukamba cross. In an attempt save face after the own goal, Zhokinyi skied his effort from inside the box after venturing upfront from substitute Farai Mupasiri’s cross in the 90th minute.
