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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
IT was an exciting Premiership weekend during which defending champions Dynamos opened a three-point lead while title chasing ZPC Kariba and Caps United choked as struggling Bulawayo giants Highlanders tumbled out of the top four. The final lap of the domestic elite football is proving to be the real deal with more twists and turns expected as clubs fight for the championship, a top four finish or their survival.
With just four rounds of matches remaining, Harare giants Dynamos look set to claim their fourth consecutive title after grinding a point in their 1-1 draw with relegation threatened Chapungu and in the process opening a three point-lead after ZPC Kariba and Caps United lost their respective games.
The power generators are set to play Dynamos on Week 29 in what could be the championship decider should they return to winning ways following their 0-2 defeat to FC Platinum in Zvishavane. It was the electricity generators’ third defeat of the season with other losses being against Chapungu (3-0) and How Mine (3-2).
ZPC Kariba are second on the table with 47 points while Caps United are third with 45 points, five behind table toppers Dynamos after their 2-1 loss to Triangle United.
FC Platinum’s win over ZPC Kariba saw them topple Highlanders who were beaten 1-0 in a city derby by Chicken Inn from position four.
Bosso slid down to position seven as Chicken Inn moved to fifth with 40 points and Hwange who have a superior goal difference to Highlanders and are tied on 39 points, sitting a place above the Bulawayo giants.
Mathematically, Highlanders are now in the relegation zone and they need four points to survive the chop as Triangle who are fourth from the bottom are on 30 points, and if they win their remaining games they will end with 42 points.
Highlanders hit the road to Hwange hoping for a change of fortunes knowing fully well that nothing other than a victory can keep their top four finish wishes alive. By ending in the top four, Highlanders will be able to defend their Mbada Diamonds Cup.
In his post match interview after their Chicken Inn defeat Highlanders’ coach Mark Mathe said lady luck has been eluding them and they need more than just luck to beat Hwange at the Colliery which has been turned into a slaughter house for visiting clubs.
Youngsters Knox Mutizwa and King Munyaradzi Nadolo showed a lot of positive drive for the club.
“Sometimes in football you need luck. We’ve been playing well but just can’t find that last perfect touch. The crossbar denied us twice but going forward, we’re hoping to end this bad stretch soon and this requires a collective effort.
“If you saw the way we ended the game we finished stronger after opening up the wings and it was a satisfactory performance where had we been lucky we could’ve won,” said Mathe.
It is highly likely that Mathe will try youngsters when they travel to Hwange after impressive displays from Ozias Zibande, Mutizwa and Nadolo who came from the bench replacing Kudzi Machazane, Charles Sibanda and Welcome Ndiweni respectively.
Bosso should brace for a tough game at the Colliery as Hwange are coming from a 1-1 draw away to Black Rhinos.
Nation Dube yesterday kept his cool saying: “We’re taking each game as it comes and a point on the road is better than nothing. We know Highlanders are going through a bad spell and as such they’re dangerous. We aren’t worried about the problems they’re facing as we just have to concentrate on our game.”
The coalminers are targeting a top four finish.
“A chance to play in the Mbada Diamonds Cup is motivating the guys to work harder because they know that there’re monetary gains in making it for the cup competitions and they want to be there. It’s important that we pick as many points as we can in our last games,” Dube said.
While Bosso will be busy with Hwange, FC Platinum will want to cement their top-four slot with an away win against Caps United at the National Sports Stadium. For Makepekepe, they know that a defeat to the platinum miners will further dent their championship hopes which received a knock at the weekend when they lost to Triangle United.
Chicken Inn entertain Triangle United at Hartsfield with Joey Antipas setting his sights on a Mbada Diamonds Cup slot.
“We’ve won the derby and the challenge is winning against Triangle United. Every game to us is more like a final and as such the guys are geared to give their all as we want a top four finish. It’s possible to play in the end of season tournament and what we need is consistency,” he said.
The Gamecocks are likely to be without George Majika who scored their winning goal against Bosso tomorrow. Triangle United come to Bulawayo having bolstered their technical team as they look forward to swim away from the murky relegation waters by bringing on board ex-Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu.
Dynamos face bruised Harare City while ZPC Kariba are at home to Buffaloes.
Weekend Premier League Results
Friday: How Mine 0-0 Chiredzi
Saturday: Bantu Rovers 1-4 Shabanie Mine, Black Rhinos 1-1 Hwange, FC Platinum 2-0 ZPC Kariba
Sunday: Buffaloes 3-2 Harare City, Triangle United 2-1 Caps United, Dynamos 1-1 Chapungu, Highlanders 0-1 Chicken Inn
Standings as of Week 26
P W D L F A GD Pts
Dynamos 26 14 8 4 26 13 13 50
ZPC Kariba 26 12 11 3 32 18 14 47
Caps United 26 13 6 7 32 23 9 45
FC Platinum 26 10 11 5 28 19 9 41
Chicken Inn 26 11 7 8 28 23 5 40
Hwange 26 10 9 7 34 24 10 39
Highlanders 26 10 9 7 32 23 9 39
Buffaloes 26 10 6 10 29 35 -6 36
Harare City 26 10 4 12 31 33 -2 34
Chapungu 26 8 9 9 27 25 2 33
How Mine 26 8 9 9 27 30 -3 33
Shabanie Mine 26 8 8 10 29 33 -4 32
Triangle 26 8 6 12 32 37 -5 30
Black Rhinos 26 7 7 12 16 26 -10 28
Bantu Rovers 26 5 6 15 24 40 -16 21
Chiredzi FC 26 3 6 17 14 39 -25 15
Remaining Castle Lager Premier League Fixtures
Tomorrow: Hwange v Highlanders (Colliery), Caps United v FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium), Harare City v Dynamos (Rufaro), ZPC Kariba v Buffaloes (Gwanzura), Shabanie Mine v How Mine (Maglas), Chapungu v Bantu Rovers (Ascot), Chicken Inn v Triangle (Hartsfield), Chiredzi v Black Rhinos (Chishamiso)
Week 28: Highlanders v Chiredzi, Dynamos v Bantu Rovers, Harare City v ZPC Kariba, Buffaloes v Caps United, Triangle v Hwange, How Mine v Chapungu, FC Platinum v Chicken Innn, Black Rhinos v Shabanie Mine
Week 29: Shabanie Mine v Highlanders, Hwange v FC Platinum, Caps United v Harare City, ZPC Kariba v Dynamos, bantu Rovers v How Mine, Chicken Inn v Buffaloes, Chiredzi v Triangle, Chapungu v Black Rhinos
Week 30: Dynamos v How Mine, Buffaloes v Hwange, ZPC Kariba v Caps United, Highlanders v Chapungu, Harare City v Chicken Inn, FC Platinum v Chiredzi, Black rhinos v Bantu Rovers, Triangle v Shabanie Mine.
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