Latest News Editor's Choice


Sports / Local

Dembare, ZPC close in on Bosso

by Sports reporter
07 Aug 2014 at 07:32hrs | Views
Dynamos 1 - 1 Chicken Inn
Chiredzi FC 1 - 1 ZPC Kariba

Castle Larger Premier Soccer League Champions, Dynamos, and title contenders ZPC Kariba watched a chance of taking the competition lead slip away with an identical 1-all deadlock.

The two sides however,  closed in on Highlanders who lead the Log Table with a superior goal difference. The three teams are tied on 32 points apiece. Caps United, who are trailing with two points behind the leading trio, face Hwange away from home today and victory will result in them topping the league.

Dembare, who were playing visiting Chicken Inn at a packed Gwanzura stadium, took the lead two minutes after the breather through a Roderick Mutuma penalty after Lawrence Mhlanga had handled in the box.

The Gamecocks, as Chicken Inn are affectionately known, levelled the scores in the 60th minute through a wonder strike by Brian Mbirimi who unleashed a thunderous volley from outside the box, beating goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi all systems out.

While Dembare and Chicken Inn were battling a goalless first half, invincible ZPC Kariba conceded through an own goal by Ephraim Mwinga to give their hosts Chiredzi FC a lead at Chishamiso Stadium.

Chiredzi coach Gishon Ntini remained confident he would give Saul Chaminuka and his boys their first taste of Premiership defeat, but former Black Mambas player, Tsepo Rantohokoane, slapped them out of that dream with a  48th minute equaliser. Ntini, who replaced fired coach Moses "Bambo" Chunga, was happy with the result.

Defending champions gaffer Kallisto Pasuwa acknowledged that his charges had played second fiddle to the Gamecocks and ruined good chances in the first half in which they could have killed the match.

"We had some few good chances in the first half and we could not bury them and in the second half we were back peddling most of the time and we failed to create more scoring chances. It is the finishing that is letting us down,' said Pasuwa.

His opponent Joey Antipas was happy with grabbing a point away from home and paid tribute to his charges for great fighting spirit.

"The boys showed some great fighting spirit and they played a very good game. We now have to start to look for positive results. Brian Mbiriri is a free kick specialist and he shoots very well, so I was not even surprised with (how spectacular) the goal was," said Antipas.

His team made their intentions known attacking from the first whistle, coming close to scoring in the 3rd minute when Mbiriri unleashed a thunderous shot just outside the box, forcing a save from Mukandi.

Dembare's first chance of scoring came in the 15th minute when Patrice Mbimba made a long-range effort, but it was easily dealt with by Chicken Inn goalminder Elvis Chipezeze.

"I think the draw is good for us and l am happy for the draw. We need to continue collecting maximum points and we are very confident of avoiding relegation," said Ntini.

Source - Zim Mail
More on: #Dembare, #Bosso