Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE second half of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League kicks off tomorrow with most teams set to unleash their mid-season signings in their efforts to challenge for the title or survive relegation.
With no clear cut favourites in the title race where the top eight teams, Black Rhinos, Ngezi Platinum Stars, How Mine, Dynamos, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum, Highlanders and ZPC Kariba, are all within striking distance, the second half of the season promises to be a thriller.
There is no room for error for any team in the top half with dreams of lifting the title at the end of the season.
Only four points separate leaders Black Rhinos and eighth-placed ZPC Kariba. Black Rhinos, with a game in hand, are tied on 31 points with Ngezi and How Mine, who have each played 17 matches.
Black Rhinos’ outstanding match is against defending champions Caps United, who are in the relegation zone in 16th position with 13 points from 10 games.
Faced with a hectic second half, which will require them to play mid-week games to clear the backlog, Caps will feel the pressure as they catch up.
How they respond to pressure in their quest to get out of the red zone and try to defend their title will shape Caps’ campaign.
Smarting from a 1-3 home loss to How Mine in a rearranged fixture played last week on Wednesday, Caps face Shabanie Mine at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.
Shabanie held the champions to a 0-0 draw in the first leg played at Zvishavane’s Maglas Stadium and the asbestos miners will be hoping to take their winning streak to three consecutive games at the expense of Caps. Shabanie edged How Mine 1-0 at home and beat Yadah FC 2-0 in Harare.
On the other hand Caps have only won once in their last five outings, beating Zamalek 3-1 in a Caf Champions League. During this period, Caps lost 4-2 to Al Ahli Tripoli, 2-0 to Yadah FC, 4-1 to USM Alger and fell to How Mine last week.
A double header is on the cards at Luveve Stadium, with the first match featuring Chicken Inn and Bantu Rovers, followed by the How Mine and ZPC Kariba clash.
Chicken Inn clobbered Rovers 5-0 on the opening day of the 2017 season, with goals from Innocent Mucheneka, Obidiah Tarumbwa, Tafadzwa Kutinyu and a brace by Ishmael Lawe.
Kutinyu has since left the former champions, finding a new home at Singida United FC of Tanzania.
Chicken Inn are in fifth position with 29 points from 16 games and will want to kick start their second half of the season campaign brightly.
Besides losing Kutinyu, Chicken Inn also lost defender Teenage Hadebe during the mid-season transfer window, which opened on July 1, and only brought in midfielder Collins Duhwa from Shabanie.
Rovers, who are second from the bottom, lost three strikers, Newman Siantshali to Bulawayo City, Bukhosi Sibanda and Obriel Chirinda to South African National First Division side Ubuntu Cape Town FC.
To survive relegation, Rovers need to start winning and should expect a tough encounter against Chicken Inn, who declared their championship interests in the first half.
How Mine and ZPC Kariba’s clash also promises to be a thriller, with the former out for revenge after losing the first round 1-0 in Kariba.
With Ngezi and Rhinos playing on Thursday, How Mine can temporarily move to the top of the table if they beat ZPC Kariba.
That 3-1 away win over Caps will probably spur How Mine in their match with ZPC Kariba.
Highlanders, who beat Bulawayo City 2-0 in the first leg, will be hoping Prince Dube and Simon Munawa, who were on target when the two sides met, inspire them to a win.
Bosso won their last league match against Yadah FC 1-0, while City were held to a 0-0 draw by Rovers.
@ZililoR
Online Reporter