CHICKEN INN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
HIGHLANDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . .(0) 1
HIGHLANDERS and Chicken Inn gave their fans an exciting 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League farewell with a blinder of a match, playing a one-all draw to survive relegation on the last day.
The two Bulawayo giants survived the chop on 39 points apiece.
Brian Muza put Chicken Inn ahead in the 25th minute with an immaculate header from an equally impressive cross from Michael Charamba.
Dominance by Highlanders for the entire first half counted for nothing. It's goals that matter in a football match and Chicken Inn proved that assertion.
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But skipper Andrew Mbeba had other ideas in the second half, sending a beautiful curler that eluded goalkeeper Donovan Bernard in the 51st minute from a free kick in the penalty area arc, sending the Bosso faithful into song and dance.
Mind calculators had started working frantically on the relegation permutations as results from other centres trickled in.
An overlapping Brian Mlotshwa for Highlanders had his header narrowly miss the upright after he was sent through by the evergreen captain Mbeba as early as the 10th minute, as Bosso mounted pressure on Chicken Inn.
Four minutes later, Learnmore Muyambo’s long range shot sailed over the crossbar, a relief for the GameCocks goalminder Bernard, who was kept on his toes for the better part of the first half.
In the 20th minute, Nigerian striker Benjamin Adeogun’s speculative curler from a narrow position on the far left was punched back into play by Donovan and the rebound found no takers.
A few minutes before half-time, Highlanders coach Pieter de Jongh was cautioned by referee Nelson Meke for an incident on the touchline.
Muza had another chance to score for Chicken Inn in the 68th minute after towering above the Highlanders defenders with a header from a Charamba cross, but his effort went over the crossbar.
The second half went into a lull with no purposeful attack from either side, degenerating into a dull affair.
In the 75th minute, Adeogun made a brilliant move, setting up substitute Brighton Ncube whose shot inside the penalty box was fumbled by Bernard, but found no takers and the ball went out for a corner kick.
Two minutes after coming in for injured Mbeba, Malvin Hativagoni had his shot sail over the bar in the 80th minute, with the Bosso fans up in the air in celebration.
On the stroke of 90 minutes, the ever hilarious Bosso fans went into a loud frenzy as two black and white crows hovered over the pitch in an up and down motion, as if to celebrate Highlanders’ survival.
As Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas had spelt out last week, a draw for the two sides would be good for the Bulawayo teams.
He reiterated that position in his post-match address yesterday.
“It was a highly-charged game. First of all, I am happy that we survived but I am happier that both teams are still in the premiership,” he said.
“At least, we will be able to play again next year and compete together. It was a game in which both teams wanted to win.
“It was a very entertaining game for the fans in the last match of the season.
“We close up the season knowing that both teams are in the Premiership and both teams need some work for the coming season.”
De Jongh also said his task when he came to Highlanders was to make sure the Bulawayo giants avoid relegation.
“I came to make sure the club is safe. My job is finished,” he said.
Teams
Chicken Inn: D Bernard, B Muza (L Saungweme, 90+2’), X Ndlovu, B Rendo, M Mushonga, L Mangaira, I Mabhunu, G Majika (I Makopa, 68’), L Chikuhwa (T Muchenje, 68’), M Charamba, J Tulani
Highlanders: A Sibanda, A Ndlovu, B Mlotshwa, M Ncube, T Muvuti (R Sibanda, 53’), A Mbeba (M Hativagoni, 78’), M Mushore (B Ncube, 71’), L Mutumbi, B Adeogun, L Muyambo, A Nyondo