CHICKEN Inn will this afternoon host top-flight newcomers Tsholotsho in a Castle Premier Soccer League (PSL) encounter with both teams keen to bounce back to winning ways after suffering defeats in Week 2 of the league programme. BY SAKHELENI NXUMALO
The Gamecocks lost 2-0 away to Harare City in their last match while Iziqholo zeZhwane suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bulawayo giants Highlanders.
Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas said his side was targeting victory over Tsholotsho but admitted that this will not be an easy achievement.
“We are coming from a defeat but we just have got to stay focused and come up with the goods against Tsholotsho although I must admit that we will be playing against a very tactical side,” Antipas said.
Tsholotsho have lived up to their nickname of being the stubborn ones in their first two games of the season after posting a sensational victory over Harare City in their debut PSL match and losing narrowly to Highlanders in their second.
And while admitting that a victory would be welcome, Tsholotsho coach Lizwe Sweswe said he will not put his charges under unnecessary pressure.
“Our objective is to try and collect maximum points whenever we can and we are looking forward to a good game against Chicken Inn,” Sweswe said.
Today’s encounter will see former Tsholotsho star player and reigning Southern Region Soccer League Soccer Star of the Year Edmore Chirambadare squaring up against his former paymasters for the first time after leaving them to join Chicken Inn.
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Chirambadare could prove to be a handful on the flanks for Tsholotsho who will still be without injured left wing back Ricky Bota, who had a good game against Harare City.
Bota got injured at training in the build up to the Highlanders match and his replacement Nkosilathi Moyo struggled to contain pacey Bosso striker Gabriel Nyoni last Sunday.
Tsholotsho will also be without Gerald Takwara, who is with the Young Warriors, while Antipas said all his players were available for selection. Meanwhile, Harare City coach Taurai Mangwiro says his side will be out to avoid a slip up against another new top flight side when they visit Whawha at Ascot this afternoon.
City lost 1-0 at home to Tsholotsho in the opening match of the season and Mangwiro said his charges will be wary of the threat posed by Whawha.
“We want to do well and we are looking forward to a good game but it won’t be easy. All the new teams have performed well this far into the season and we did draw lessons from our disastrous opening match so I hope the little information that we have on Whawha will come in handy,” Mangwiro said.
City bounced back to winning ways in their second game of the season with a 2-0 victory over Chicken Inn and Mangwiro said they will be out to maintain consistency by notching up another win today.
His Hwahwa counterpart Luke Petros however, expressed confidence that the three points will remain in Gweru.
“This is one game that we have to win at all cost because we should start winning to avoid becoming relegation candidates this early in the season.
“The first five games will give us an indication how we will fare in the top flight and we are very determined to win against Harare City,” Petros said.
The prison outfit will be without defender Roy Useni who picked up a groin injury in Whawha’s 1-1 draw against sister side Flame Lily in Week 2.
