By Austin Karonga
KARIBA – Premiership log leaders Chicken Inn kept their hopes of claiming a league and cup double alive after seeing off ZPC Kariba after a penalty shootout in the NetOne Easycall Cup quarter-final here yesterday.
Chicken Inn stand-in goalkeeper Pride Zendera was the visitors’ saviour after saving one penalty before netting the fifth and final spot kick that sent his side through.
The home side’s in-form forward Raphael Manuvire, who was below par by his standards, scored the first spot kick before Michelle Katsvairo levelled when he sent Tendai Hove the wrong way.
Limited Chikafa scored the home side’s second kick while Brain Juru made it two-all with a well-taken penalty.
Russell Madamombe was next for the home side but the midfielder missed his kick but his blushes were saved when Thabani Goredema also missed for the Gamecocks. Reigning Soccer Star of the Year Dennis Dauda then had his effort denied by the upright, leaving the door open for Chicken Inn to take the lead.
Devine Lunga did just that when he converted his kick to give the Gamecocks a 3-2 lead.
ZPC’s Leonard Fiyado restored parity when he scored the home side’s final kick but their hopes were dashed when Zendera beat his opposite number to send the Gamecocks into the last four of the competition.
Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas said he was chaffed with the win but reiterated that his side would take it game by game downplaying the talk of a league and cup double.
“Our game plan was to come out here and play a low pressure game. It’s unfortunate that ZPC had to lose out in the lottery but I’m chaffed that we managed to win,” Antipas told reporters after the match.
“It was more of reserving our energy after a taxing league fixture hence the reason why we decided to rest a couple of our regular players but I would want to give credit to the boys for holding their own under the scorching hot conditions.”
ZPC Kariba coach Sunday Chidzambwa apologised for the defeat to the legion of the team’s fans, who had come out in full force to back their side.
“I’m so sorry for the supporters; they have been supporting us in good and bad times but what I can promise them is that we will go back to the drawing board and try to beef up the team with some quality players in preparation for next season,” said Chidzambwa.
“Chicken Inn fought and won, we didn’t’ create enough chances to win the match and I don’t think that we can win any match if we continue playing the way we did.” Daily News