Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FIVE rounds of Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches left, 15 points to fight for; its dog eat dog as teams battle for their survival.
Just a point separates Tenax CS FC who occupy the last relegation slot, position 15 and ZPC Kariba who are a place above the dreaded chop with 29 points.
Harare City, on position 16 are two points away from safety, while second from the bottom Bulawayo City are on 24 points with anchors Whawha still mathematically having a chance to survive the chop at 20 points.
With FC Platinum likely to be crowned champions this weekend in the event that they beat Herentals at home and second placed Chicken Inn lose to top-four chasing Highlanders, focus which might suck in 13th placed Caps United on 34 points should they lose to Cranborne Bullets and Tenax win at home to Black Rhinos.
Interesting relegation battles are on the cards and Tenax might find themselves moving three points adrift of Caps United should they beat Rhinos while Caps United goes down at Cranborne.
Twists are expected to take place in the final matches as witnessed last weekend when Tenax shocked Yadah to a 1-0 win, while Harare City stunned Rhinos 2-1. The victories meant that the duo closed in on ZPC Kariba who went down 3-0 at Ngezi.
Bulawayo City’s 3-0 defeat to Chicken Inn left them five points away from safety.
But as the battle for survival continues, who will avoid the chop?
Caps United are left with five tricky encounters. On Sunday they travel to Vengere for a date against Cranborne who are on 35 points and are aware that losing to the former could see them forced into having a jittery finish.
After their visit to Cranborne, Caps United will be at home to champions FC Platinum, then travel to Bulawayo for a date against Chicken Inn, host Bulawayo Chiefs who clobbered them 2-0 and wrap the season against Dynamos who beat them 3-0 in the first leg. In the first leg, caps United lost 1-0 to Cranborne, went down 3-0 to FC Platinum and were edged 1-0 by Chicken Inn. These are all tricky games for Caps United as they failed to pick any points from the five sides that they will face.
ZPC Kariba managed to pick five points from a possible 15 against their remaining opponents. They beat Whawha 1-0, drew with identical 0-0 score lines against Highlanders and Herentals. ZPC Kariba went on to lose 1-0 to Manica Diamonds and 3-0 at Bulawayo City.
Harare City will be hoping to complete a double against Ngezi who they edged 1-0 at baobab Stadium in the first leg. The Sunshine City Boys will then face Manica Diamonds who they drew with 0-0, Whawha who they shared spoils in a 1-1 game, Bulawayo City (0-0) and seek revenge against Bosso who beat them 1-0 at Barbourfields Stadium.
Against their remaining opponents in the first leg, Tenax lost 3-2 to Rhinos, drew 1-1 against triangle United, then went down 4-0 to Ngezi, bounced back with a 1-0 win against Cranborne and lost 1-0 to Manica Diamonds.
Bulawayo City picked six points in the first leg against the five teams standing on their way to survival. City lost the derby against Chiefs 1-0, held Dynamos 1-1 in Harare, clobbered ZPC Kariba 3-0, drew 0-0 with Harare City and Rhinos.
Whawha, who need to win all their matches to secure their PSL status face DeMbare who are pressed for a victory and are aiming at a strong finish. Dynamos beat Whawha 2-1 in Gweru. The prison warders went on to lose 1-0 to ZPC Kariba, drew 1-1 with Harare City, narrowly lost 1-0 to Rhinos and Ngezi.
PSL Match day 30 fixtures
Saturday: ZPC Kariba v Manica Diamonds (Nyamhunga), Tenax CS FC v Black Rhinos (Sakubva), Harare City v Ngezi Platinum Stars (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo Chiefs v Bulawayo City (Luveve), FC Platinum v Herentals (Mandava)
Sunday: Chicken Inn v Highlanders (Barbourfields Stadium), Cranborne Bullets v Caps United (Vengere), Triangle United v Yadah (Gibbo), Dynamos v Whawha (National Sports Stadium)
PSL Bottom 6 Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Caps United 29 8 10 11 28 35 -7 34
ZPC Kariba 29 6 11 12 14 23 -9 29
Tenax 29 7 7 15 19 44 -25 28
Harare City 29 5 12 12 17 26 -9 27
Bulawayo City 29 6 6 17 20 40 -20 24
Whawha 29 5 5 19 23 52 -29 20
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