BY FORTUNE MBELE
CHICKEN Inn coach Joey Antipas believes the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title race will go to the last day as the GameCocks take on relegation-fighting Bulawayo Chiefs at Luveve Stadium this afternoon to continue their bid for only their second top flight league title since inception.
The three title-chasing clubs Caps United (55 points), Chicken Inn and FC Platinum both on 53 points, all faltered last week with the log leaders, the Green Machine being held by Yadah at the National Sports Stadium, the GameCocks also settling for a point against Hwange at Luveve while FC Platinum played a goalless draw against Highlanders.
Antipas yesterday said Bulawayo Chiefs, who are fighting to avoid the chop, will not be an easy customer, but the Chicken Inn gaffer is hoping to collect maximum points.
“(Bulawayo) Chiefs have been playing well lately. They are not going to be a stroll in the park and we have to work hard to come up with a victory. With three games to go and with our eyes on the title, we have to give it our all. These games for us on paper look easy but we have to fight to the last. We want to take it to the wire and we have to just keep picking maximum points,” he said.
Antipas said all is well in his camp except for central defender Guide Goddard, who is ruled out due to injury.
Chicken Inn have attacking riches and they will look up to the likes of Obriel Chirinda, Malvin Gaki, Valentine Kadonzvo, Brett Amidu and Innocent Mucheneka for penetration.
“It’s a tricky game for us and if we want to continue with our quest to be champions we must go in there with a vision to fight. It is a derby and anything can happen,” Antipas said.
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Chiefs coach Thulani Sibanda said they needed a win and two draws for them to survive the chop and he also said the match against Chicken Inn was a tricky one.
They are position 15 with 31 points.
“This one is very tricky because Chicken Inn are fighting for the title, but when my boys play the big games their adrenalin goes high. We will try to do our best. It is a game in which we just have to minimise silly mistakes, but games like these are usually won on capitalising on mistakes. The boys are geared up for the game,” Sibanda said.
