Nkosilathi Sibanda at Luveve Stadium
Chicken Inn 0
Herentals 0
Chicken Inn assistant coach Fungai Kwashi took all the blame for the team's failure to win against visiting Herentals yesterday afternoon, saying more needed to be done to change the players' mindset in their Castle Lager Premiership campaign.
The match, which ended goalless, turned out to be a drab affair, much to the disaffection of the handful crowd who watched.
Kwashi came out an honest man, blaming only himself for his charges of disappointing show.
"To be honest with you, please give all the blame to me. I will take the blame; I will take the heat. I am a renowned goal-scorers coach and I have to keep on working hard on the guys and do much better. So, all the blame, give it to me. I have to improve these guys' conversion rate," said Kwashi.
Herentals' coach, Paul Benza said his players put up a good fight and was pleased they defended well.
"It was more of a defensive side because I knew that Chicken Inn were coming from a bad spell. We had to employ five defenders. In the first half, it was more of defending and it worked well," said Benza.
Right from the first whistle, both teams struggled to find the net out of the chances created throughout the match.
In the opening six minutes, Chicken Inn's Michael Charamba failed to connect a pass at the edge of the box, in what was an embarrassing miss. The Gamecocks were awarded a free kick after Lincoln Mangaira was felled at the edge of the box, and Majika was to take it, only to sky his effort.
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After 23 minutes, Xolani Ndlovu flighted a cross that bounced off Herentals defender Joseph Chitavira's boots, who by all standards had a good day in the rearguard.
Herentals had the first corner on 24 minutes. A moment later, Chicken Inn failed to capitalise on another goal opportunity as Brighton Makopa let out a shot that went over the bar, off an impressive pass by George Majika.
Soon after the start of the second half, it was pound for pound in the midfield. Herentals were the first to fire warning shots, with Clemence Zimondi missing a glorious chance to put the Students ahead as he chose to kick the ball wide in open space.
Innocent Benza was choked by the home side's defensive line of Ndlovu, Itai Mabunu, and Dominic Jachira. The Herentals attack kept shifting the ball to the flanks, winning corner kicks but failing to position well on target. Goalkeepers from both ends had less pressure on the day.
As the match reached the last quarter, tension was high, and the search for the elusive openers continued. Chicken Inn's Mangira was to be red-carded in the 85th minute after he had fouled Erick Dombo.
Referee Mhaka Magare didn't hesitate to send him to the dressing room. With all the substitutes that came in, the teams still found it hard to put in a clear intention for a win.
