CHICKEN INN............................... (2) 3
SIMBA BHORA...,......................... (0) 2
CHICKEN Inn picked up maximum points after edging Simba Bhora in an entertaining Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
Chicken Inn opened the floodgates in the 14th minute through a sleek header by Brendon Rendo off a Michael Charamba corner-kick on the left which left Simba Bhora goalkeeper Taimon Mvula bemused spectator.
That goal came as The Gamecocks had camped in the visitors’ half, attacking from left right and centre as they searched for an early goal.
A little later Charamba scored the second goal for The Gamecocks, tapping the ball into an empty net after Mvula spilled a Malvin Hwata shot onto the attacking midfielder's path.
Walter Musona netted Simba Bhora's first goal converting from the spot in the 77th minute after they were awarded a penalty by referee Thembinkosi Sibanda for a Chicken Inn defender Domijic Jaricha hand ball.
Substitute Brighton Makopa made certain Chicken Inn bagged maximum points after dribbling past a handful of Simba Bhora players before scoring from an acute angle in extra time.
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But not to be outdone, Simba Bhora substitute Mthokozisi Msebe reduced the deficit moments later, but the goal did not help things for the visitors who left Luveve empty-handed.
Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas was happy with the win.
“I am very happy about it. We stuck to our task very well. Simba Bhora are a good side. It was a game of two halves. We were on top in the first half. They came back in the second half, made three changes and that changed the complexion of the game. We were sloppy in their second goal. We should have cleared our lines. All in all, I'm chaffed about the three points. We needed that win. It puts us back in the limelight: Talking about the top four. Donovan was outstanding once again; made some point blank saves, which was great for us,” Antipas said.
Simba Bhora coach Tonderai Ndiraya praised his charges for the performance despite the defeat.
"It was a difficult game for us in the first half. We naturally got into defence mode and allowed Chicken Inn to come at us and then we made those defensive errors, we conceded two goals. We psyched the team at half time and made changes and we had to throw more bodies forward. It paid off. We created a lot of chances and with a bit of precision we could have scored more than two goals. The difference in the end was Donovan Bernard. He put Chicken Inn in the game. He made a couple of saves and some of them, one versus one situations. When you face a goalkeeper like that, he showed his class, it becomes difficult for you to score goals," Ndiraya said.
Vassilli Kawe had a chance to equalise for Simba Bhora in the 22nd minute, but failed to control the ball inside the penalty area after receiving a good cross from the right with only Donovan to beat.
Walter Musona skied his effort off target in the 38th minute after taking advantage of a defensive gaffe by Chicken Inn's Jaricha as another scoring opportunity went begging for Simba Bhora.
Musona watched another of his efforts hit the upright 10 minutes after the break with Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard a beaten man.
Bernard made three breathtaking saves in the 64th from a Tymon Machope shot and on the rebound, the goalkeeper shut out Harrison Masina and then cleared away another shot from Billy Veremu.
The second half belonged to Simba Bhora who continuously bombarded the hosts, but were unfortunate not to get the goals that would earn them maximum point with Donovan also in immaculate form as ever.
