Its advantage Chicken Inn!

 

Zimbabwean champions Chicken Inn put up a disciplined performance to edge crack South African outfit Mamelodi Sundowns 1 – 0 in a CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg encounter at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.

 

 With the Castle Premiership still in off-season, the Gamecocks knew that going toe to toe with the Absa Premiership log leaders would be suicidal and relied on the counter with their back four always in position.

In his post - match interview, Gamecocks head coach Joey Antipas said the 1-0 score line was a bonus for him as their target had been a scoreless draw.

“To tell you the truth we went out to try and play for nil nil but we managed to get one nil up against quality opponents like Sundowns. I am very chuffed about the win and proud about the way the boys maintained tactical discipline and it’s a good win for the team. We gave Sundowns all the ball to play but closed them down in critical areas and the boys really put up a good show,” Antipas said.

 

 

His Sundowns counterpart Pitso Mosimane attributed his team’s lethargic performance to a congested fixture schedule.

“We didn’t have the legs for this match hence we couldn’t even catch the rhythm. It was difficult for us as we didn’t have the energy to up it up a little bit and the difficult thing is that we got a few injuries and I thought my important players – Khama (Billiat), and (Keegan) Dolly must come off because we still have a long way to go,” Mosimane said.

 

 

 

It was clear from the onset that Sundowns wanted to use the flanks to breach the Chicken Inn rear guard, with their wingbacks pushing up every time they were in possession, but the hosts’ wide midfielders took care of that threat by tracking back and assuming defensive positions.

And after successfully keeping Sundowns at bay in the opening stages, the hosts threatened to open the scoring on five minutes, with Obidiah Tarumbwa and Edmore Chirambadare combining to launch a raid.

Another quick attack by Chicken Inn had Sundowns keeper Wayne Sandilands flailing on 13 minutes and moments later the former Platinum Stars keeper raised questions about his competence when he failed to hold on to a weak shot by George Majika and conceded a corner kick.

The strategy to try and catch the visitors on the break finally paid off for Chicken Inn on 34 minutes when Michelle Katsvairo finished off a counter attacking move that was started by left back Devine Lunga and involved Tafadzwa Kutinyu.

Lunga won the ball deep in his own half and passed it to Kutinyu who in turn released Katsvairo and the former FC Platinum striker left Downs defender Wayne Arendse for dead before riffling it past Sandilands to open the scoring.

After the break Sundowns brought in Zimbabwean striker Cuthbert Malajila for Teko Modise but that change failed to bring any dividends as the home team continued to deny the visitors any openings.

In the second half Chicken Inn defended deep and would form defensive lines as soon as they lost possession.

This denied Sundowns the opportunity to play the ball behind the hosts’ defence and while they enjoyed the bulk of the possession, their play was restricted to the periphery of the final third.

The hosts continued to make sporadic raids on the break and Chirambadare saw his stinger punched over the bar and out for a corner by Sandilands after the Warriors striker had been sent through by Lunga on 51 minutes.

Chicken Inn defender Lawrence Mhlanga had to put his body on the line to block a goal bound cracker by Sundowns linkman Mzikayise Mashaba with 10 minutes left on the clock and the hosts held on for a historic win.

The second leg is set for Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria in a fortnight.