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against leaders FC Platinum on Sunday.
The popular Harare giants are hoping to become the FIRST team in the history of local football to win the title after just ONE week at the top.
Dynamos have NOT been top of the Premiership standings for the past 28 match days and yet victories in the last two Sundays of the season will clinch them the title.
It has NEVER happened before!
Also, other than the controversial 1995 season when Dynamos edged out Blackpool on goals scored, DeMbare have won the Premiership title earlier than the penultimate weekend.
In 1994 they won it by NINE points over Highlanders, in 1997 they won it by NINE points over CAPS United and in 2007 it was again by NINE points, this time over Highlanders.
While the 2011 Premiership season officially ends on November 20, the champions and two remaining relegation victims might be known at 5pm this Sunday.
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The title race is now a private affair, pitting newcomers FC Platinum and traditional heavyweight Dynamos.
With Kiglon and Zimbabwe Saints officially relegated on Wednesday, the remaining slots will be taken by any two of Shooting Stars, Shabanie Mine, Monomotapa, Black Mambas and Masvingo United. But all eyes will be on Mandava where FC Platinum will host Dynamos in what promises to be an explosive title decider.
FC Platinum have the advantage in that TWO of the three possible outcomes will work in their favour.
For Dynamos, they have their work cut out. It is a MUST-WIN encounter.
The last time Dynamos were involved in a title decider on the penultimate weekend, they were in second place and trailed Gunners by two points.
They needed to beat Moses Chunga’s side to go into the final weekend on top of the standings.
However, Gunners used the occasion to register their first ever win over Dynamos. The 2-0 victory at Rufaro earned Gunners the Premiership title in their second season in the top-flight league.
It was a joint-fastest success for a promoted club – shared with Monomotapa. Now FC Platinum intend to set a new record.
FC PLATINUM VICTORY
FC Platinum have NOT won against Dynamos and such a result would be historic. FC Platinum have NOT scored against Dynamos and that’s the first hurdle they need to scale on their way to a first-ever win over the Harare giants.
If FC Platinum win the game on Sunday then they will be crowned champions as they would have opened a six-point lead over second-placed Dynamos with just three points to play for on the final weekend.
Victory will see FC Platinum become the first team from outside Harare and Bulawayo to win the modern Premiership title.
They will also become the first newcomer to win the Premiership title since the new era started in 1993.
An FC Platinum win would also condemn Dynamos to their FOURTH successive season as runners-up.
In 2008 they finished two points behind Monomotapa, in 2009 they trailed Gunners by five points while last season they conceded the title to Motor Action on goals scored.
DRAW
A draw will leave FC Platinum leading second-placed Dynamos by three points with just one round of matches remaining. This will leave FC Platinum needing just one point from their final game against Shooting Stars whose relegation fate might be sealed this weekend.
DYNAMOS WIN
This will leave the top two teams level on 55 points from 29 matches.
A Dynamos win, by any margin, will take them top of the Premiership standings for the FIRST time this season. This is because they have a healthier goal difference.
That would leave them needing to beat relegated Kiglon on the final day of the season to reclaim the title they last won in 2007 under David Mandigora.
Victory for Calisto Pasuwa’s men will complete a league double for Dynamos as they won the reverse fixture at Rufaro.
DYNAMOS WIN BY ONE GOAL
The scoreline might be 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 or 4-3.
Dynamos will have a goal difference of plus 25 while FC Platinum will be down to plus 21.
Thus Dynamos will have a four-goal advantage going into the final weekend. FC Platinum would need to outscore Dynamos by four goals on the final day to win the title.
For example if Dynamos beat Kiglon 1-0, FC Platinum would need to beat Shooting Stars 5-0 to be the champions.
***If that were to happen, the goal difference would be the same but FC Platinum would have scored more goals than Dynamos.
DYNAMOS WIN BY 2 GOALS
The scoreline might be 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 or 5-3. Dynamos’ first win of the season was 2-0 against FC Platinum at Rufaro in April.
Dynamos will have a goal difference of plus 26 while FC Platinum will be down to plus 20.
This gives Dynamos a six-goal advantage going into the final weekend.
For FC Platinum to win the Premiership title ahead of Dynamos, they would need to outscore them by SIX goals. If Dynamos beat Kiglon 1-0, FC Platinum would be required to beat Shooting Stars 7-0 on the final day.
***If that were to happen, the goal difference would be the same but FC Platinum would have scored more goals than Dynamos.
IF DYNAMOS WIN BY 3 GOALS
The scoreline might be 3-0, 4-1, 5-2 or 6-3. In what remains the shock of the season, Gunners beat FC Platinum 3-0 in Zvishavane early this season.
If Dynamos were to emulate Gunners and win by three goals, the Harare giants would have improved their goal difference of plus 27 while FC Platinum would have dropped to plus 19.
This would give Dynamos an eight-goal advantage going into the final weekend.
Thus if Dynamos beat Kiglon 1-0, FC Platinum would need to beat Shooting Stars 9-0 to win the title.
If that were to happen, the goal difference would be the same but FC Platinum would have scored more goals than Dynamos.
- Lawrence Moyo is the Editor of H-Metro.
Online Reporter