TELONE FC......................(0)0
CHICKEN INN FC...........(1)2
Chicken Inn FC put up a decent performance, scoring at decisive moments to pile more misery on TelOne FC, whose season has been marked by poor shows at home, Ascot stadium. Tonderai Ndiraya's Chicken Inn registered a 2-0 win at Ascot stadium yesterday.
Ngonwa Hapmo and Genius Hute scored the all-important goals for The Gamecocks, rubbing more salt into TelOne's wounds, who are yet to win at home, Ascot stadium in four attempts.
TelOne started the match in high tempo, piling pressure and firing from all cylinders. First, it was Jerry Chipangura who got their first realistic chance of the match, after rounding off goalkeeper Taimon Mvula inside the box, but when he released a pass to Teguru, who waited in the box, it was tame and Itai Mabhunu cleared off the lines on the 25th minute.
Five minutes later, Panashe Mutasa had a rasping shot from outside the box tipped over the bar by Mvula, keeping The Wifi Boys at bay. For that time, The Gamecocks sat deep and waiting. However, they finally caught them off guard when Binwell Katinji's shot from close range was repelled by Takudzwa Chikosi and Ngonwa Hapmo was first to react and thrust them ahead. They led going into the break.
The Wifi Boys returned with more energy in the second half but it did not bring any meaningful results. They tried hard but Mvula denied them on several occasions until they were caught off guard by Genius Hute who pierced through with a low shot following a quick counter-attack that Hapmo initiated, who was having a good day in the office.
Winning coach Ndiraya was on cloud nine, saying his men passed a tough hurdle he thought would spoil their streak. He said: "It's a match that we anticipated to be difficult, and difficult it was. When you're playing a team that's really struggling a bit, especially at this stage of the season, we expected TelOne to throw everything at us.
"They did, they threw everything, but we were fortunate to score in the first half. After having been under some bit of pressure, then that break from the team, and then to Innocent Masiwa, and then David caught the end of it.
"I think it gave us a very good cushion because of the pressure that we were under. And then, of course, we had to manage the game until halftime. Came back in the second half, we were playing for the win now.
"The first half we were playing against the wind, and the second half with the wind. We thought we did very well, but I think the whole idea was for us to manage the game until the end since we were leading. We knew that TelOne would throw bodies forward, throw more offensive players forward, but we remained very compact, defended very well."
TelOne coach Herbert Maruwa was visibly disappointed and he called for support from all stakeholders to help the team rise up from their slump. Maruwa said: "I think now we need to work as a family. It's not about the coach only. Everybody involved must see what's happening. You cannot lose four consecutive games at home. You play three consecutive games away, you get points. Something must be done. Maybe, I don't know."
TEAMS
TELONE FC XI : T Chikosi, P Milanzi (M Chigumira 46'), A Chapinduka, P Mutasa(N Masilela 65'), I Mucheneka, T Macheke, N Masuku, C Nyakope, Z Ruguchu, J Chipangura, D Teguru
CHICKEN INN FC XI: T Mvula, M Dagmo, S Louisom, I Mabhunu, B Rendo, G Hute, T Chiwunga, R Katinji, I Masiwa(M Faranando 67'), L Mangayira, T Waungua
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