CASTLE Premier Soccer League side Chicken Inn are targeting a top-four finish as they seek maximum points away to FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium on Saturday.
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Both teams are expected to have their full squads in place as Zifa will only be releasing a list of those banned for 10 years on Friday, according to the association’s chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze.
Two of Platinum’s goalkeepers Tafadzwa Dube (seven years) and Tsungai Mudzamiri (two) will be free for now, while Benjamin Marere, Ali Sadiki and Daniel Veremu face two-year bans.
Qadir Amin has one year of his two-year sentence suspended while Khumbulani Banda, Thabani Kamusoko and Zephania Ngodzo could receive five-year bans.
Chicken Inn is targeting a good finish to this year’s campaign.
The Adam Ndlovu-coached Chicken Inn are sitting pretty on position three on the log standings with five matches to go to the end of the season, but are tied on 44 points with fourth-placed high-riding Monomotapa, who are home to relegation-fighting Black Mambas at Rufaro Stadium on the same day.
They face Platinum, who are basking in the glory of cruising to the semi-final of the Mbada Diamonds Cup after edging bitter town rivals Shabanie Mine at Mandava on Saturday.
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Chicken Inn spokesperson Tavengwa Hara yesterday said their aim at season start was a respectable top-eight finish, but they would cherish the opportunity of a top-four finish.
“We are taking each game as it comes. Originally our aim was to finish the season in the top eight, but ending in the top four would be a plus and we will take that opportunity with both hands. We are ready for FC Platinum,” Hara said.
Chicken Inn have not lost a match in their last seven games, winning four times and drawing thrice. They last lost to Monomotapa 1-0 in Harare before beating Shabanie Mine 2-1 at Luveve Stadium on August 26.
They picked up maximum points beating Hwange 1-0 at the Colliery on September 2 before holding championship contenders Highlanders to a goalless draw at Barbourfields on September 12.
The fast-foods outlet team travelled to Harare where they shared the spoils with Mambas in a 1-1 before they beat defending champions Dynamos at Emagumeni on September 26.
After a 1-1 draw to Buffaloes in Mutare, Chicken Inn beat Hardbody 3-2 at Luveve before the two-week break for the Warriors to travel to Angola on October 14 and the Mbada Diamonds Cup quarter-finals last weekend.
On the other hand, all has not been rosy for the Tendai Chikuni-coached FC Platinum in the league. They have lost four of their last seven games, albeit winning three.
Their biggest loss of the season was their last league game when they fell 3-0 to Motor Action in Harare and have lost twice at Mandava, 0-1 to Harare City before a resurgent Caps United dismissed them 2-0.
FC Platinum, last year’s league runners-up have amassed 38 points from 25 matches and perch on position seven on the log standings.
The two sides played exciting football in a 1-1 draw at Luveve Stadium in the reverse fixture in April.
