AMBITIOUS Premiership side Chicken Inn are looking forward to closing the gap on log leaders Harare City when they take on troubled Black Mambas at Morris Depot in Harare tomorrow.
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Although still missing key players including the suspended in-form attacking midfielder Kudakwashe Mahachi, head coach Mandla Mpofu believes Chicken Inn can still consolidate their position on the log table.
When they faced Bosso on Sunday, the GameCox were without leading scorer Tendai Ndoro and skipper Felix Chindunwe, who are on national duty in Zambia and also missed the services of workhorse Thabani Goredema and defender Tonisani Sibelo due to suspension, but went on to pick up a point against Highlanders.
With Ndoro and Chindunwe still in Zambia and Mahachi suspended, Chicken Inn head to Harare without midfielder Brian Juru, who picked up an injury against Highlanders on Sunday, but welcome the pair of Sibelo and Goredema who have served their suspensions.
Mpofu believes they have what it takes. “We have played a big game without our key players, but managed to get good results. I think that means we have the depth in our team. Saturday’s game is a must-win, so that we consolidate our position. Mambas have been struggling and that renders them dangerous. I know what they will be up to, playing at home, but we have to keep up the fight against the big guys at the top and manage to achieve our target of a top four finish. Any other position better than that will be a plus for us,” Mpofu said.
New faces that might feature for Chicken Inn in tomorrow’s tie are Dylan Chivandire, returning from Botswana and Clement Matawu acquired from struggling Motor Action.
Matawu played a few minutes against Bosso on Sunday. Mpofu also has in camp strikers Mkhokheli Dube, Thomas Chimenya and Marshal Marima and the midfield combination of Danny “Deco” Phiri and Canaan Nkomo with Guide Goddard, Zephania Ngodzo, Brian Mbiriri, and Moses Jackson rear guard. Impressive of late has been goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni.
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On the other hand, the John “Toto” Ncube-coached Mambas have been struggling having won only one match in the last six games and are definitely fighting relegation.
They last won when they beat Shabanie Mine 2-0 at Morris Depot on June 19, but the former asbestos miners mounted revenge with a similar scoreline at Maglas on Sunday.
Mambas have lost at home and away 1-0 to Triangle, and fallen to Chicken Inn at Highlanders and dropped to position 12 on the log table above Hwange, Tripple B, Black Rhinos and Motor Action.
Fixtures Tomorrow: How Mine v Shabanie Mine (Luveve), Black Mambas v Chicken Inn (Morris Depot), Harare City v FC Platinum (Rufaro), Motor Action v Tripple B (Motor Action) Sunday: Buffaloes v Triangle (Sakubva), Black Rhinos v Dynamos (Rimuka), Highlanders v Hwange (Barbourfields), Caps United v Monomotapa (NSS)
