BANTU ROVERS . . . . . (1) 2 CHICKEN INN . . . . . . . .(1) 1
FORTUNE MBELE
PROUD Zireni netted a hat-trick — two goals for his side Bantu Rovers and the other for the opposition Chicken Inn — as Tshintsha Guluva claimed maximum points in an eventful Bulawayo Premier Soccer League derby at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
To add to the drama of Zireni’s “historical achievement”, Bantu defender Lawson Nkomo was red-carded for a crude foul on Chicken Inn’s Canaan Nkomo in the 55th minute.
Just 10 minutes after Lawson was given his marching orders by referee Thabani Bamala, Chicken Inn’s Ishmael Lawe also received a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident on Bantu Rovers’ goalkeeper Takunda Mutanga.
Bantu Rovers also had an appeal for a penalty shot down by Bamala in the 74th minute by Bamala after Chicken Inn defender John Bernard appeared to have handled inside the box, much to the chagrin of Tshintsha Guluva’s head coach Methembe Ndlovu and his assistant Mandla Mpofu.
Zireni began his dramatic afternoon in the 22nd minute when Chicken Inn goalkeeper Liberty Chirava made a mess of a Lawson cross and the striker rose to head home.
Nine minutes before the end of the first half, Zireni beat his own goalkeeper Tinashe Mutanga after Chicken Inn defender Brian Mbiriri switched play and Canaan made a cross into the penalty box, which Zireni chested into his own net.
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Zireni made amends in five minutes before full time coming to the end of a long throw by substitute Fortune Ncube to head past Chirava to earn Bantu Rovers the maximum points. With the win, Bantu Rovers, who had gone for three matches without registering a win, are now at par with Chicken Inn on nine points but did not move an inch on the log-standings remaining on position 12.
Assistant coach Mpofu was happy with the win.
“It was precious points that we got there,” Mpofu said.
“We were under pressure coming from three matches without a win.
“We are happy with the three points and it’s still a marathon.” Chicken Inn gaffer Joey Antipas said his boys were losing it on elementary areas and conceding soft goals from which they were failing to make a comeback.
