adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
LIFE is slowly being squeezed out of the lungs of former champions Motor Action and it looks like their 13-year flirtation with the Premiership is coming to an end.
The Mighty Bulls, Tripple B, Monomotapa, Black Rhinos and Hwange are in a serious dog fight to stay afloat this year although it appears all the teams in the bottom eight cannot count themselves safe yet.
But it is the Mighty Bulls have the least chances of making it.
They have had a calamitous year, with club owner Eric Rosen facing serious challenges in funding the club, which resulted in an exodus of key players.
Former coach Joey Antipas, who led them to their only league championship three years ago, also left the club.
With eight games remaining this season, The Mighty Bulls are bottom of the table with just 16 points from 22 starts.
And it doesn’t look bright for them as they are 10 points away from the safety mark.
Motor Action coach Prince Matore is aware of the challenge they face.
“It’s tough but we are not putting our heads down yet. We have a group of talented youngsters who are keen to see this team going up.
“We just need to keep building confidence and giving them that sense of belief. I am sure if we manage to win one game, that might as well open up everything for us,” said Matore.
The Mighty Bulls have a new look outfit with a lot of young players taken from the Aces Youth Academy during the mid-season.
Black Rhinos should also be feeling uncomfortable after dropping two places down the ladder this week.
Rhinos are now third from the bottom as they swapped positions with Monomotapa who drew 1-1 with Tripple B yesterday.
Rhinos had fallen one place down the previous day when Hwange elbowed them into the position of safety with the 4-2 win over Dynamos.
The army side’s spokesperson, Wellington Mabiginye, yesterday acknowledged they were now feeling the heat.
“It’s now hot at the bottom especially after Hwange’s victory over Dynamos which gave them a two-point advantage over us.
“But there are still 24 points to play for, 12 of them at home, and we are also scheduled to meet both Hwange and Monomotapa towards the end of the season which means the team that wins in those encounters will have better chances.
“So we are not panicking,” said Mabiginye.
Rhinos have not lost a match, nor conceded a goal at home, since they moved to Rimuka in Week 14, will be hoping to continue picking up points in Kadoma.
However, it appears all the teams in the bottom eight, which include Shabanie Mine on 29 points, Triangle, Black Mambas, Hwange, Monos, Tripple B, and Motor Action are not yet safe.
Fixtures
Today
Chicken Inn v Harare City (Luveve, SS9), Black Mambas v Motor Action (Morris Depot),
Sunday
Shabanie Mine v CAPS United (Maglas), How Mine v Black Rhinos (Luveve, SS9), Buffaloes v Highlanders (Sakubva), Triangle v Hwange (Gibbo), Dynamos v Monomotapa (Rufaro), Triple B v FC Platinum (Dulibadzimu)
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