Chicken Inn, Bulawayo Chiefs in stalemate

Bulawayo Chiefs ......... 0 Chicken Inn ................. 0 Bulawayo Chiefs and Chicken Inn played out an entertaining goalless draw in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Luveve Stadium yesterday afternoon.

The result means that three consecutive derbies that have been played in Bulawayo have all finished goalless.

The first half of the derby was an evenly contested affair. The first real opportunity fell to Michael Charamba in the 26th minute, but a last ditch tackle by Leroy Ndlovu scuppered his attempt to place it beyond goalkeeper Prosper Matutu.

In the 28th minute Panashe Shoko connected a cross from

Jameson Masaza but the ball was gathered by goalkeeper Donovan Bernard.

After the break Chiefs enjoyed more of the ball with some lovely passes in midfield engineered by Lucky Ndlela whilst Miguel Fieldman had a field day on the left side.

In the 60th minute, the menacing Never Rauzhi was fouled by Lincoln Mangaira inside the box.

He dusted himself up to take the penalty but his weak effort was pushed away by Donovan.

The Gamecocks responded in the 67th minute, but substitute Malvern Hwata hit the side net from a Clive Augusto lay off.

Augusto should have thrust the Gamecocks into the lead in the 79th minute but his shot at point blank was saved by Matutu.

With four minutes of action remaining, Rauzhi turned brilliantly on the nearside and set up Godfrey Muchenje whose effort was spilt by Donovan. Fieldman reacted quickest and squared it up for substitute Benjamin Addotey who shrugged off his marker, but shot straight at Donovan with a yawning goal in front of him.

Chiefs coach Thulani Sibanda was impressed by Rauzhi's performance and said that the striker will continue taking the penalties for his team. "He is going (up) with each day. It's actually his first season where he is playing regularly. He needs to take those penalties because he is chasing the top goalscorer award. We will try to work at training so that when he gets a penalty, he scores. "We cannot crucify him for missing that penalty because it was individual brilliance from him," said Sibanda.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas admitted that Chiefs gave them a good run for their money but he felt his charges had an improved second half. "It was a seesaw affair. Both teams survived by the skin of their teeth. We will take that point. Chiefs is a very good side. I always knew it was going to be a very close game. I thought we applied ourselves well in the second half, especially in attack," he said.

Bulawayo Chiefs

P Matutu, E Chikwende, L Ndlovu (B Addotey 77), X Moyo, L Ndlela, P Shoko (N Ncube 64), N Rauzhi, M Feldman (N Masilela 90'), M Hativagoni, G Muchenje , J Masaza. Chicken Inn

B Donovan, L Mangaira, B Muza (A Tinotenda 77) , I Mabunu, B Makopa (M Hwata 64), J Tulani, E Farasi, I Muchaneka (C Augusto 64), X Ndlovu, K Chinda, M Charamba