adminRicky Zililo, Sports Reporter
AMBITIOUS Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League club Bulawayo Chiefs are only three points away from making their maiden Premiership appearance.Bulawayo Chiefs, coached by Thulani ‘Thuts’ Sibanda stretched their lead at the top of the log from two to four points following their 2-1 win over Ajax Hotspurs that saw them take their points tally to 59 points with three games left.
This will be Sibanda’s second time to lead a Division One club into the Premiership having won the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League championship with Quelaton in 2011.
Second placed Black Boots had their championship quest taking a knock after playing to a 1-1 draw with New West at Unit Fairbridge and they trail Bulawayo Chiefs by four points.
If Black Boots win their three remaining outings, they will end the season with 64 points but if Bulawayo Chiefs win their next league game against Bantu Rovers at Plumtree, they will be crowned as the champions of the Zifa Southern Region because their Week 29 fixture is against Mkhosana who have pulled out of the league.
The Zifa Southern Region administrator Augustine Ndlovu yesterday confirmed that Bulawayo Chiefs would be awarded maximum points on a 3-0 scoreline for their fixture against Mkhosana who wrote Zifa asking to withdraw. “Mkhosana FC wrote to us sometime withdrawing from the league citing operational challenges that they are faced with.
For that reason, the teams that have not yet played Mkhosana FC will get three points on 3-0 scorelines,” said Ndlovu.
At the weekend Quelaton who were supposed to travel to the resort town of Victoria Falls for the game against Mkhosana got three points on a 3-0 scoreline.
Besides Bulawayo Chiefs, the other teams that will benefit from Mkhosana’s withdrawal are Tsholotsho FC who were scheduled to face them in Week 28 and Rufaro Rovers on the last day of the season.
After playing Bantu Rovers, Bulawayo Chiefs will wrap up their season with a home game against Hwange Juniors. Second placed Black Boots’ remaining fixtures are away to Ntabazinduna in Week 28, home to Mpumalanga and their last game of the season will be away to ZPC Hwange.
Former Premiership side Bantu Rovers had their Premiership hopes halted by Tsholotsho who held them to a 1-1 draw at Barbourfields Stadium outside grounds.
Bantu Rovers have amassed 49 points and even if they win all their remaining matches against Bulawayo Chiefs (away), Rufaro Rovers (home) and New West (away) they will only end the season with 58 points.
In the relegation battle, Ndlovu said three teams would be axed.
“Three teams will be relegated at the end of the season and in the event that there is a Premiership club from the region (being relegated) then the number of teams to be relegated will be four,” said Ndlovu.
With Mkhosana who are third from the bottom already having ‘relegated’ themselves from the league, the other teams look set to join them in Division Two are Rufaro Rovers and Ajax Hotspurs.
Results
Saturday: Technosphere 2, Ntabazinduna 0; Bantu Rovers 1, Tsholotsho 1; Mkhosana 0, Quelaton 3; Hwange Juniors 1, ZPC Hwange 0; Bulawayo Jumbos 1, New West 1; Zimbabwe Saints 3, Rufaro Rovers 0; Ajax Hotspurs 1, Bulawayo Chiefs 2
Log Standings
P W D L F A Pts
Bulawayo Chiefs 27 19 2 6 40 18 59
Black Boots 27 15 10 2 45 17 55
Bantu Rovers 27 15 4 8 30 17 49
Technosphere 24 14 4 9 38 24 46
New West 27 12 7 8 33 30 43
Zimbabwe Saints 27 12 5 10 33 27 41
Tsholotsho FC 27 11 7 9 30 25 40
Quelaton 27 12 2 12 34 34 39
Hwange Juniors 27 10 8 9 27 22 38
Mpumalanga 27 10 7 10 29 29 37
ZPC Hwange 26 10 6 10 38 29 36
Ntabazinduna 27 8 7 12 19 20 31
Bulawayo Jumbos 27 8 7 12 20 34 31
Mkhosana 27 7 3 17 18 50 24
Ajax Hotspurs 26 6 1 19 20 43 19
Rufaro Rovers 27 3 5 19 13 48 14
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