10-man Chicken Inn sink Tsholotsho
Tsholotsho.....................0 Chicken Inn................... (0) 1
DEFENDING Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn overpowered Tsholotsho despite playing for the better parts of yesterday’s match at White City Stadium with 10 men on the field of play.
A 74th header from seasoned striker Obadiah Tarumbwa ensured that Chicken Inn, who had defender Lawrence Mhlanga sent off in the first half secured their fifth win of the season while condemning their third from the bottom opponents to an eight defeat of the 2016 campaign.
Chicken Inn assistant coach Thulani Sibanda commended the level of fitness displayed by his players as they managed to put up a good fight even though being one man down. He, however, decried the departure of their two strikers Edmore Chirambadare and Mitchelle Katsvairo who leave the country today to join South African Premiership side Kaizer Chiefs as the Gamecocks prepare for an away mid-week fixture against Hwange.
“It was a good game. At least from today’s game we showed a little bit of some improvement in terms of our physique being 10 men 15 minutes into the game and playing around 75 minutes, it shows how fit we are. In terms of our organisation we decided we are now nine men on the field of play. We will be 1-4-4 off the ball and maybe try to force a 3-4-2 or 3-5-1 on the ball and I think it worked,’’ said Sibanda.
Tsholotsho second in charge Xolani Mafikela felt that they lost because they did not take their chances but they were in control of the proceedings for better parts of the match.
“We didn’t take our chances, I think we were in control of the match, we failed to score and playing a 10 men team doesn’t necessarily mean that you will definitely win that one, it’s always a 50-50. Football can be played by seven players so 10 men is as good as 11 people,’’ said Mafikela.
Chicken Inn lost defender Mhlanga in the 18th minute when the Warriors player kicked Ayanda Ncube in an off the ball incident. Referee Zibusiso Moyo reached for his back pocket to send Mhlanga for an early shower. This forced Rahman Gumbo to sacrifice striker Moses Demera for defender Moses Jackson in the 24th minute as he sought to try to restore stability at the back.
Tarumbwa produced the miss of the day when he connected well with a cross by Tafadzwa Kutinyu four minutes before the break but his first time shot was saved by Chang Mariyoni. Tsholotsho also wasted a chance on the stroke of halftime when Nicolas Mundandishe failed to punish Chicken Inn.
Passmore Bernard forced a save from Mariyoni in the 71sth minute with a well taken free kick from outside the box, the ball parried away for a corner. From that set piece, Kutinyu headed agonisingly wide from close range.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Tarumbwa rose high to nod a cross delivered by Thabani Goredema past Mariyoni to secure the win for Chicken Inn.
Chang Mariyoni, MacClive Phiri, Nkosilathi Moyo, William Stima, Spar Dube, Butholezwe Ncube, Rodrick Mufudza, Ayanda Ncube, Xolani Ndlovu(Sibanda 64 minutes), Nixon Gama(Chikuhwa 64 minutes), Nicholas Mundandishe(Ponyera 64 minutes)
Elvis Chipezeze, Devine Lunga, Passmore Bernard, Teenage Hadebe, Lawrence Mhlanga, Thabani Goredema, Moses Demera (Jackson 24 minutes), Clemence Matawu, George Majika(Tafirenyika 64 minutes), Obadiah Tarumbwa.
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