HIGHLANDERS. . . . 0 CHICKEN INN . . (0) 1
CHICKEN Inn’s dominance over Highlanders continued when they scored with a minute to the final whistle to collect maximum points in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo yesterday.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
Chicken Inn skipper, Moses Jackson rose above Highlanders defenders in the 89th minute with a flashing header off an Innocent Mucheneka corner-kick to score the solitary goal that earned the Gamecocks the three points.
“A win is a win. We came here to get a result and got the result,” Chicken Inn coach, Rahman Gumbo said.
“Unfortunately, our minds were not here. We had to make changes at the 11th hour, but the boys turned around and said they were playing for their colleague.”
Chicken Inn defender, Teenage Hadebe had to be withdrawn from the team in the morning following news his mother had died.
“A win against Highlanders is a step in the right direction. It is good for the club, a good result for us to win in Bulawayo,” Gumbo said.
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Chicken Inn had last won in Bulawayo when they beat Bantu Rovers in the first game of the season, losing the subsequent four matches in the City of Kings.
Yesterday’s win, which handed Highlanders their second defeat of the season, saw Chicken Inn just go up one rung up the ladder to seventh with 15 points from nine games.
Gumbo was not happy with referee, Hardley Ndazi, whom he felt was not able to protect his player, Passmore Bernard, who was elbowed by Highlanders defender, Peter Muduhwa towards the end of the game.
Chicken Inn started out strongly and Darryl Nyandoro could have scored in the 18th minute, but his volley from inside the penalty box was punched away by Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda.
Seven minutes before the break, Highlanders’ Simon Munawa watched his header stray after he was set up by Prince Dube.
Highlanders came close to scoring once again in the 67th minute, but substitute Roderick Mutuma’s effort went off target with only goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze to beat.
Coach, Erol Akbay said a lapse in concentration at the end cost his side, but he was not worried about the loss.
“We played good football and created many chances, but we could not score and if you don’t score, you don’t win matches. It is just the second defeat and we still have a lot of games to play,” he said.
Highlanders remain on 17 points after the defeat, as they head to Mandava for FC Platinum on Sunday.
