Off-duty Gamecocks edge Byo City
Chicken Inn .......................................... (1) 1 Bulawayo City ....................................... 0
TWO superb strikes from Chicken Inn’s lanky forward Malvin Hwata — one allowed by the referee and the other denied via the first assistant referee’s flag — were major highlights of the Castle Lager Premiership Soccer League battle of the top against the basement side at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
Coming from a shock 3-0 away loss to Whawha, the Gamecocks, who seemed to be off duty again, had Hwata to thank after his brilliant strike in the 34th minute temporarily took them to the top of the log with 26 points, three ahead of Dynamos.
DeMbare are in action today when they face Manica Diamonds at the National Sports Stadium.
Nine minutes before he found the opener for Joey Antipas’ men, Hwata thought he had made it count for the Simbisa Brands-sponsored outfit when his left-footed half-volley from a Passmore Bernard feed from the right flank was adjudged to be offside.
The experienced George Majika started asking questions from the City defence in the early minutes of the match only to be denied by the woodwork when his well-taken strike from outside the box hit the crossbar.
Bulawayo City had their brilliant goalkeeper Reward Muza — interestingly a Chicken Inn juniors’ product — to thank as he denied the former league champions a rugby scoreline.
“The very aim of this game was to pick up three points against Bulawayo City.
“We were coming from a loss to Whawha. I must say Bulawayo City had a brilliant show in the second half, they really put us under pressure but we are happy for the three points.
“We didn’t have a brilliant game but we did have a brilliant recovery from that Whawha loss,” said Antipas.
Philani “Beefy” Ncube, City’s gaffer, reckoned they wasted their chances.
“We got the chances but we didn’t use them.
It was very bad to lose at this particular time and as a coach, I am very much under pressure because it seems we have players who cannot convert for us,” said Ncube.