CHICKEN INN will be aiming for consistency when they take on Hwange in a rescheduled Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match this afternoon.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
Hwange were the only team that managed to take all six points against Chicken Inn last year, but the latter still managed to clinch their first league title under the guidance of Joey Antipas who has since left the club and been replaced by Rahman Gumbo.
The coalminers were also the only side that beat Chicken Inn at Luveve last year.
A lot has changed since then both. Clubs now have different coaches with Hwange being coached by Mebelo Njekwa after Nation Dube was given a five-year ban over his involvement in match-fixing activities.
But Newmann Sianchali and Collen Muleya, who scored the two goals that condemned Chicken Inn at the same venue last year, are still there.
Chicken Inn have lost Mitchell Katsvairo and Edmore Chirambadare who have both joined Kaizer Chiefs and they have also lost the cutting edge they had about them last season.
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Sianchali and Muleya are still at the coalminers, who this year lost quite a number of players including coach Dube who was handed a five-year ban by Zifa following allegations of match-fixing with the case before the courts.
So far this term Chipangano have managed four wins, losing five with one draw in their first 10 matches.
Veterans Gilbert Zulu, Gerald Ndlovu and David Boriwondo have remained faithful to Hwange, who also have Tonisani Sibelo, Farai Vimisai, Pritchard Mpelele, Gift Mbweti and Creven Banda as some of their key players.
Chicken Inn also have 13 points and are on position 10, but have played a game less than Chipangano.
But they will be hoping that today they can collect another set of full marks to help them climb up the log after a bad start to the 2016 campaign where they have looked a pale shadow of the side that won the big prize last season.
Central defender Lawrence Mhlanga, who was shown the red card in the 18th minute against Tsholotsho FC, also misses the Hwange tie. It’s now two wins out of three matches for new gaffer Gumbo, who presided over a win against Mutare City Rovers at Sakubva before falling to Caps United at Luveve.
Gumbo took over after Chicken Inn had suffered three successive defeats to Triangle, Bulawayo City and ZPC Kariba.
Chicken Inn face Highlanders in a Bulawayo derby on Sunday and they will be looking for a morale-boosting win today ahead of the crunch tie against the log leaders.
Despite losing two of their best players, they can still call on the talent and experience of striker Obadiah Tarumbwa, Clemence Matawu, Tafadzwa Kutinyu, Teenage Hadebe, Divine Lunga, George Majika and Moses Demera who are all expected to feature this afternoon.
