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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
CHICKEN INN midfielder Tichaona Chipunza says his team needs to be consistent if they are to win the championship this season. The Bulawayo club climbed into second place after beating leaders CAPS United 1-0 at Barbourfields on Wednesday.

“The game against CAPS United was always going to be tough and we knew as a team that once we lose it, we would be effectively out of the race.

“We did everything and, as tough as the game was, we came out tops, thanks to the determination and never-say-die attitude by the players,” said Chipunza.

The defensive midfielder, one of the best performers in the league this season, won’t stomach finishing the marathon without winning anything.

He has won silver medals in the league in the past two years while still at Ngezi Platinum Stars.

“We are in the final stretch of the marathon and we are back in firm contention. Truly speaking, by now we should have been leading the race by, at least, 10 points given the rate at which our challengers were dropping points.

“But, somehow we have been inconsistent. We blew hot and cold in the crucial moments. We lost a bit of our form in our last seven or matches.

“But, we are effectively back in the hunt for the title. We are behind the leaders by four points.

“In the game of football, a four-point gap is not a joke. We need to be consistent in the coming games if we are to eclipse the leaders, who I am sure will also be playing well.”

Chipunza said CAPS United, third-placed FC Platinum and ZPC Kariba all have the chance to win the title this year.

But, he urged his teammates to concentrate on winning their matches.

“What we have to do as a club now is concentrating on collecting points in our own games and just hope other results go our way.

“Yes, luck is needed in the game of football. We will need luck, especially in the games that we don’t have control over.

“But, above all, we need to be consistent and win our own games then see what happens.”