CHICKEN Inn might have prevailed against Caps United earlier in the season, but their coach Joey Antipas remains wary as the two sides clash in the Premier Soccer League reverse fixture at Luveve Stadium this afternoon.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The Bulawayo-based side edged their more-fancied opponents 1-0 in Harare in May, courtesy of a strike by Obadiah Tarumbwa.
It was a hard fought victory and Antipas insists although they won the game in Harare, today’s battle is different altogether.
“We won in Harare, and it was a good result for us. We won the battle but the war is not over. They (Caps United) are a solid and compact side and it will not be easy. We have to go the extra mile and try to secure all the points,” Antipas said.
Chicken Inn will be without forward King Nasama, who is unwell, but Antipas said the rest of the team was raring to go.
Antipas’ men, third on the log standings, will be looking to get a positive result to keep pressure on the leading two teams.
Chicken Inn, with 47 points, are nine points behind log leaders FC Platinum, and seven adrift of second placed Ngezi Platinum Stars.
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While his team still has a mathematical chance of winning the title, he doesn’t see the two mining sides faltering in the home stretch.
“I still maintain this race is between the platinum teams. For us to stand a chance we must win our matches and they (platinum miners) lose theirs. It will not be easy, so I don’t see us being able to overtake them,” he said.
Caps, who lie in fifth place with 39 points, also have a mathematical chance in the race and a win against the Gamecocks today will boost their confidence as the campaign reaches the home stretch with nine matches now left.
The Green Machine are without regular Kudzi Nyamupfukudza, who misses the trip to Bulawayo because of an injury.
The midfielder is still nursing an injury that also kept him out of the team’s 2-1 win over Nichrut a fortnight ago.
Both teams go into the match with their confidence high after registering wins in their last league matches before action was interrupted last week by the international calendar.
Premier Soccer League midweek fixtures
Today: Ngezi Platinum Stars v ZPC Kariba (Baobab), Chicken Inn v Caps United (Luveve), Nichrut v Bulawayo City (Ascot), Black Rhinos v FC Platinum (NSS), Shabanie Mine v Yadah (Maglas), Herentals v Bulawayo Chiefs (Rufaro), Mutare City Rovers v Highlanders (Vengere), Triangle United v Harare City (Gibbo Stadium)
Tomorrow: Dynamos v Chapungu (Rufaro)
