Bleak weekend for Bulawayo teams
By Ricky Zililo
Bulawayo’s four topflight football teams had a bleak weekend, as they lost their respective matches. Highlanders lost 2-0 to perennial rivals Dynamos in the President Emmerson Mnangagwa Inauguration Cup in Harare on Sunday, with Kuda Kumwala and Quality Kangadzi on target.
Bosso lost the bragging rights in the clash of the giants and will have to work on their shortcomings when preparing for their league game against Ngezi Platinum Stars at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
Championship hopefuls Chicken Inn’s bubble burst after an eight-match unbeaten streak ended in their 1-0 loss to ZPC Kariba.
The Gamecocks looked disjointed without the injured duo of veteran midfielder Clemence Matawu and winger George Majika as well as skipper Moses Jackson.
The defeat left Chicken Inn 11 points behind log leaders FC Platinum, who are on 55 points. Chicken Inn failed to close the gap on second-placed Ngezi Platinum, who suffered a shock 0-1 defeat to Mutare City Rovers. Ngezi Platinum are on 51 points.
Chicken Inn head to Yadah for their next away encounter and will need to get their act right if they are to keep their slim hopes of beating FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum to the title.
Bulawayo Chiefs had their five-match unbeaten run coming to a halt against defending champions FC Platinum, who beat them 3-1 on Saturday.
Just like Chicken Inn, Chiefs’ players made defensive errors and put up an uninspiring display. Chiefs, who beat FC Platinum 2-0 in the first leg, had been expected to give the miners a good run for their money.
Relegation threatened Bulawayo City capped a bad weekend for the City of Kings’ sides with a fifth consecutive defeat, going down 1-2 to Triangle United.
In other matches, Nichrut’s hope of surviving relegation took a positive turn after they beat visiting Yadah 2-0 courtesy of a brace by forgotten former Dynamos and Highlanders striker Rodrick Mutuma. Chapungu drew 1-1 with Herentals. – The Chronicle
Results
Saturday: Herentals 1-1 Chapungu, FC Platinum 3-1 Bulawayo Chiefs
Sunday: Mutare City Rovers 1-0 Ngezi Platinum Stars, Nichrut 2-0 Yadah, Chicken Inn 0-1 ZPC Kariba, Black Rhinos v Harare City (postponed), Shabanie Mine v Highlanders (postponed), Dynamos v Caps United (postponed), Triangle United 2-1 Bulawayo City
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
FC Platinum 24 17 4 3 35 10 25 55
Ngezi Platinum 24 16 3 5 41 16 25 51
Chicken Inn 24 12 8 4 33 17 16 44
Triangle United 24 13 2 9 31 21 10 41
Caps United 23 9 9 5 24 16 8 36
Highlanders 22 10 6 6 21 15 6 36
Harare City 23 8 11 4 21 16 5 35
Black Rhinos 23 8 8 7 19 18 1 32
Herentals 24 7 10 7 14 18 -4 31
**ZPC Kariba 24 8 9 7 20 22 -2 30
Bulawayo Chiefs 24 7 8 9 22 26 -4 29
Yadah FC 24 6 9 9 24 33 -9 27
Dynamos 22 6 8 8 18 23 -5 26
Chapungu 24 6 7 11 18 29 -11 25
Nichru t 24 6 6 12 20 28 -8 24
Mutare City 24 4 6 14 20 31 -11 18
Bulawayo City 24 4 3 17 19 34 -15 15
Shabanie Mine 23 2 9 12 21 47 -26 15
**Three points deducted for use of a suspended player.
