Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season has been pulsating, with three teams vying for the championship while nine others are staring relegation.
Championship chasing Dynamos and Chicken Inn won their respective weekend games by identical 1-0 score lines, with DeMbare edging Manica Diamonds at the National Sports Stadium and the Gamecocks overcoming Bulawayo City.
Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Paga scored for Dynamos while striker Marlvin Hwata’s strike was enough to bag maximum points for Chicken Inn.
Dynamos’ win saw Manica Diamonds sliding a place down the ladder to fourth position, six points behind DeMbare, who top the table tied on 26 points with Chicken Inn. Dynamos have a superior goal difference and occupy top place.
Third-placed Triangle United made sure they stayed within the title race, taking their points tally to 23 following a 2-1 home win over Caps United.
Russel Madamombe and Dzingai Chirambamuriwo got the goals for Triangle, with Caps United’s face-saver coming from Rodwell Chinyengetere.
Triangle are the dark horses in the title race and are heavily breathing on the necks of Dynamos and Chicken Inn.
It is the survival race that has also been fantastic, with the bottom half of nine teams not safe.
The last half has Highlanders, Bulawayo Chiefs, Cranborne Bullets, Tenax, Harare City, Yadah, ZPC Kariba, Whawha and Bulawayo City.
Highlanders remained glued in 10th place with 14 points after their match against FC Platinum was abandoned in the 84th minute with the score line reading 1-1.
They are just three points above relegation.
Yadah occupy the last relegation slot in 15th place with 11 points.
There were positional changes at the bottom, with Yadah moving a place up following their 3-1 win against Tenax.
ZPC Kariba slipped into relegation, landing in 16th position from 14th following a 0-1 home defeat to Ngezi Platinum Stars. The electricity generators have 10 points from 12 games.
Harare City drew 0-0 with Black Rhinos and fell a place down the ladder to 14th with 12 points.
Bulawayo Chiefs ended an eight-match winless streak with a 1-0 victory against Whawha, a result that moved them a place up the ladder into 11th position with 14 points.
Chiefs held onto a second-half goal by former Warriors’ striker Perfect Chikwende.
It was Chiefs’ second win of the year, with their last one coming on February 13 when they beat champions FC Platinum 2-0.
Results at a glance
Saturday: Tenax 1-3 Yadah, Harare City 0-0 Black Rhinos, Chicken Inn 1-0 Bulawayo City, ZPC Kariba 0-1 Ngezi Platinum Stars, FC Platinum 1-1 Highlanders (Match abandoned 84th minute)
Sunday: Dynamos 1-0 Manica Diamonds, Cranborne Bullets 1-0 Herentals, Bulawayo Chiefs 1-0 Whawha, Triangle United 2-1 Caps United
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Dynamos 12 8 2 2 14 4 10 26
Chicken Inn 12 8 2 2 18 10 8 26
Triangle 12 7 2 3 16 9 7 23
Manica 2 5 5 2 21 12 9 20
Ngezi 12 5 5 2 15 6 9 20
*FC Platinum 11 5 4 2 13 6 7 19
Caps United 12 4 5 3 17 14 3 17
Black Rhinos 12 4 5 3 14 11 3 17
Herentals 12 5 2 5 14 16 -2 17
*Highlanders 11 3 5 3 12 7 5 14
Byo Chiefs 12 3 5 4 8 9 -1 14
Cranborne 12 3 4 5 12 17 -5 13
Tenax 12 3 4 5 11 21 -10 13
Harare City 12 2 6 4 8 10 -2 12
Yadah 12 2 5 5 8 12 -4 11
ZPC Kariba 12 2 4 6 7 13 -6 10
Whawha 12 2 2 8 12 29 -17 8
Byo City 12 1 3 8 8 22 -14 6
*Game abandoned
-@ZililoR
Online Reporter