Chicken Inn new boys impress

Chicken Inn 2 - 1 Zanaco A POLISHED second half performance by hosts Chicken Inn saw the former Zimbabwean league champions come from a goal down to beat visiting Zambian side Zanaco 2-1 in a friendly match played at Luveve stadium yesterday.

Zanaco went into the game buoyed by their 4-0 drubbing of Zimbabwean champions FC Platinum. The visitors opened the scoring in the 14th minute through an easy tap inside the box by striker Charles Zulu who capitalised on a lapse in concentration from the hosts’ defence.

Veteran and evergreen midfielder Clemence Matawu pulled one back for the hosts on the hour mark with a brilliant header, before new-boy Aubrey Chirinda rose from the bench to score the GameCocks’ winner in 78th minute.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas was happy with the victory.

“Look, these are just preparatory games we cannot read much into them, what was pivotal today was to ensure that the boys get game time. I was very impressed with the performance of the new boys in the team, what they have done is they have raised the competition levels in the team which is good for us going forward.

“We may have played well today and beat a good side but we cannot talk of silverware at this stage, these are still very early days and it will be immature to talk of the title. Our goals for the season do not change we just want to be competitive,” he said.

His opposite number Mumamba Numba said they had lost to a good side.

“I told my boys during the briefing that this was a good side, they are even better than Platinum so we had to be at the top of our game. We lost today but we have to pick it from here and learn from this defeat,” he said.

The GameCocks fielded some of their new faces including former How Mine defender Kudzai Chideu who was rock solid at the back, Adrian Banana formerly with Bulawayo Chiefs and Shabanie Mine midfielder Joe Nyabinde who had a decent first half before he was taken off.

Former Highlanders midfielder Simon Munawa was introduced in the second half together with Xolani Ndlovu formerly with Tsholotsho and Chirinda who was with Bantu Rovers.

The three were impressive for the GameCocks.