Chicken Inn....................(0)0
Telone..........................(0)1
TelOne secured a vital victory over Chicken Inn, which eased their relegation worries at Luveve Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Frederick Muza's 50th-minute strike gave the visitors maximum points the dramatic match ended on an anticlimax.
An otherwise impressive referee Jimmy Makwanda awarded Chicken Inn a disputed penalty deep into stoppage time after Elshammar Farasi was fouled by Leo Hofisi inside the box.
Chicken Inn captain Xolani Ndlovu stepped up, but man-of-the-match Criss Mverachena palmed away the effort in the match's final kick.
Telone took the lead when Frederick Muza's angled shot beat the outdrawn Donovan Bernard in goals for Chicken Inn off an incisive Blessing Sibanda pass in the 50th minute.
Chicken Inn players vehemently appealed for offside, but referee Makwanda waved their claims away.
In the 87th minute, Mverachena was once again the hero, going airborne to thwart George Majika's free kick that was heading for the top corner.
Telone Coach Herbert Maruwa was involved in skirmishes with Chicken Inn supporters at the end of the match.
Telone assistant coach John Ncube praised Mverachena
"Off late, the goalkeeper has been doing exceptionally well. If you look at our last match against Ngezi Platinum, he had another clean sheet. I think, as a senior guy, he's doing a fantastic job as the team's last line of defence," Ncube said.
Chicken Inn Coach Joey Antipas lamented ineffective tactical changes from the team that played Dynamos. "We made five changes, aiming to give other players a run. Over the past four games, we've been rotating players. Our first half was flat; we didn't create many scoring chances. In the second half, particularly on that goal, we reacted too slowly. They seized their lone opportunity, while we squandered numerous chances," Antipas said.
With the victory, Telone moved to 38 points tied with ninth placed Dynamos as their boosted their chances of survival in the PSL.
Results
Herentals 1-0 Simba Bhora
FC Platinum 3-0 Yadah
Ngezi Platinum 1-2 Chegutu Pirates
Chicken Inn 0-1 TelOne
ZPC Kariba 0-0 Hwange
Bikita Minerals 1-2 Greenfuel
Teams
Chicken Inn: B Donovan, E Farasi, L Mangaira, M Bhebhe, K Dzingwe, D Jaricha (B Rendo 46), M Hwata (B Makopa 77), J Tulani, M Fieldman (M Charamba 61), C Ndlovu (G Mtungamiri 46), X Ndlovu
Telone: C Mverachena, L Hofisi, F Muza (L Gwerina 81), N Masilela (A Chapinduka 73), M Kwinjo, T Nyabinde, A Dzumbunu, E Mafirenyika, B Sahondo (K Jaison 58), B Sibanda, T Jaravani