Simba Bhora then took control with Junior Makunike bossing the midfield.
CHICKEN INN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 0
SIMBA BHORA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(0) 1
REIGNING champions Simba Bhora yesterday managed to break the Luveve Stadium jinx against Chicken Inn, beating the hosts for the first time at the venue since they broke into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
The Joel Luphahla-coached side scored a minute into the first half through Isakar Guribab, with a beautiful curler inside the box, sending its travelling fans into delirium after another victory against Manica Diamonds last week.
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Coach Luphahla was ecstatic after the match.
“We knew before coming here that it was going to be a difficult game, playing away. What I am happy about is that these boys can grind results. It was not easy, Chicken Inn made it very difficult [for us]. They [management] made it clear, even the president [Simba Ndoro] yesterday said, ‘coach, we have never won here (against Chicken Inn)’. We are the defending champions, the pressure is there. We are happy that we got the three points away,” Luphahla said.
Chicken Inn were punished for their lackadaisical approach to the game in the first half, which saw Simba Bhora hurriedly pick up momentum to rule supreme.
Guribab broke loose once more in the box in the 53rd minute, sent through by Emmanuel Ziocha, but faltered in his run and was dispossessed.
Simba Bhora then took control with Junior Makunike bossing the midfield.
He was, however, replaced by Trevor Mavhunga in the 74th minute.
Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas was a disappointed man, but admitted that he had lost to a better side.
“We must admit that we were beaten by a better side. The Simba Bhora side is full of quality. I think we started the game very well, tried to put pressure on them, but they gradually came back into the game. And I thought that it was a giveaway goal. It’s part of the game, you win some and you lose some. We lost today, it’s a painful defeat,” Antipas said.
The first shot on target in the match came in the 25th minute, a well-taken grounder from outside the penalty area by Simba Bhora’s Ziocha, but his effort was saved by Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard.
Chicken Inn dominated the first half, but squandered several efforts against the visitors’ goalkeeper William Thole.
It took half an hour for Simba Bhora to find rhythm. After stringing several passes from the back, Carlos Mavhurume dished another long-range shot in the 33rd minute, narrowly missing the upright, with Bernard a beaten man.
After the Simba Bhora attack, Chicken raided the visitors on a counter, but Joseph Tulani’s effort also missed the upright from close range.
Simba Bhora continued with their onslaught on the GameCocks and earned a free-kick just outside the box. Blessing Moyo sailed his effort over the bar a minute before half-time.
Teams:
Chicken Inn: D Bernard, A Chinda, M Bhebhe, J Tulani, X Ndlovu, D Jaricha (K Mutenha 60′), I Mabhunu, M Charamba (E Farasi 73′(T Mangaira 85′), G Majika (N Ketala 74′), I Makopa, B Muza (B Rendo 45′)
Simba Bhora: W Thole, W Tafa, I Mauchi, T Meke (C Makarambira 74′), B Moyo, R Kangadzi, B Ndereki (N Tigere 85′), J Makunike (T Mavhunga 74′), E Ziocha (R Mudadi 85′), I Gurirab (W Manondo 85′), C Mavhurume-newsda
