Chronicle EditorSpencer Manguwa Special Correspondent
THE 2017 Castle Lager Premiership race is heading for another thriller, with the possibility of goal difference deciding the winners of the gruelling marathon, in what is shaping up to be a classic.
But, from my predictions, I think FC Platinum will finally make history this time around by winning this league championship race by two points with Dynamos finishing second two points behind.
I, somehow, correctly predicted in my analysis that the match between FC Platinum and the Green Machine would end in a draw even though I wasn’t so sure it would that dramatic with the champions scoring a late equaliser.
In my predictions, I was also sure Dynamos would beat Harare City, which they did, although I wasn’t sure Highlanders, who had been struggling of late, would find the power to floor Chicken Inn in a 4-0 drubbing at Barbourfields.
My prediction was that the match would end in a draw because I felt that, given this was a Bulawayo Derby, Bosso would fight very hard, even though I never saw them producing such a good show as to destroy their opponents by four goals.
I had predicted a victory for Ngezi Platinum in their match against Tsholotsho at Baobab last weekend and the goalless draw was a surprise but, given that I had expected the Mhondoro side to draw their away match against ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga, the four points they picked from both matches was according to my prediction.
So what do I see in my crystal ball?
I believe Dynamos will pick 14 points out of a possible 21 points in their last seven matches and they will end the season on 70 points.
Normally, this is enough to win a team the league championship but we shouldn’t forget that this is an expanded league where, instead of the usual 16 teams, we now have 18 teams in the top-flight league.
How do I break down DeMbare’s final seven matches?
I believe they will probably lose at Nyamhunga at the hands of ZPC Kariba who will be fired up by the recent events at the club which tend to bring out the best from clubs, especially when they are taking on the big boys.
I also predict DeMbare will beat Tsholotsho at home, draw against Ngezi Platinum away, beat Chapungu at home, draw against Bulawayo City at Barbourfields, beat Bantu Rovers and also beat Chicken Inn either at Rufaro on the National Sports Stadium in their final match.
That will take their points tally to 70.
FC Platinum, in my analysis, will collect 19 out of the remaining 21 points and that will also take their points tally to 72 and they will win the championship by two points.
I believe the Zvishavane miners will beat Highlanders away from home, beat Shabanie at home, draw against Harare City away from home, beat ZPC Kariba at Maglas, beat Tsholotsho away from home, beat Ngezi Platinum at home and also beat Chapungu away from home in their final match.
The six wins and one draw should power FC Platinum to 72 points and, finally, in my humble analysis, they will be crowned champions.
Tonderai Ndiraya and his Ngezi Platinum Stars side, in my analysis, will finish in third place on 67 points.
They will beat Harare City away from home, beat Chapungu, draw against Dynamos, beat Bantu Rovers, draw against Chicken Inn, lose to FC Platinum at Maglas and then beat Triangle in their final match of the season.
This means they will collect 14 points from their remaining matches and that will take their final points tally to 67, a strong campaign for a team that only came into the domestic Premiership last season, but not good enough to win the championship.
Ndiraya has done a fine job at the Mhondoro miners, after being recruited at a time when things were not looking well, and to lead them to the Chibuku Super Cup last year and third place in the championship race this year should be viewed as progress.
Rahman Gumbo and his Chicken inn will, in my analysis, finish fourth.
They will collect 14 points from their remaining seven matches as they will beat Shabanie Mine, Harare City, draw against ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga, beat Tsholotsho in Bulawayo, draw against Ngezi Platinum in Mhondoro, beat Chapungu in the City of Kings and then lose their final away match to Dynamos.
Given their lofty ambitions this year, this could be viewed as something short of their target but Gumbo has shown that he can build a championship-winning team and Chicken Inn could reap huge rewards if they retain him for another season.
MY PREDICTED FINAL TOP FOUR
P W D L Pts
FC Platinum 34 20 12 2 72 CHAMPIONS
Dynamos 34 21 7 6 70
Ngezi Platinum 34 20 7 7 67
Chicken inn 34 20 5 9 65
Spencer Manguwa is a Harare-based mobile telecommunications executive who graduated from the National University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Applied Mathematics, has an MBA, Business Administration, Management and Operations from Nottingham Trent University in England, a Diploma in Supervision and Management, Effective Supervisory and Project Management from the Texas Success Motivation International School and is a Dynamos and Liverpool fan.
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