Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
PREMIERSHIP champions Scottland came into matchday 33 with a ‘joker’ celebration for their 4-0 win over Herentals at Rufaro, for good reason.
Literally, the joker playing card symbolises the “trickster” or unpredictable force.
Considering the situation Scottland found themselves in since midweek, when they drew 0-0 with Chicken Inn, no one expected them to be fired up.
Perhaps it was a statement to the local football community to remind them that the defending champions were “back” in the crucial race.
With leaders Hardrock playing a goalless draw against Simba Bhora at Wadzanayi, blowing the title race open for Scottland, the Mabvuku-based side knew exactly what message they wanted to send.
Now the race has gone to the wire, and the PSL will have to deploy a helicopter at a central point on the last day of the season.
If Scottland beat Triangle at Gibbo and Hardrock draw with FC Platinum, the helicopter heads to Chiredzi as goal difference comes into effect.
If Hardrock win and Scottland lose or draw to Triangle, the Kwekwe-based side grab the championship, while if both sides win in the last game of the season, the gold-mining community walk into the 2027 Champions League as 2026 PSL champions.
Hardrock head coach Kelvin Kaindu admits that his side succumbed to pressure in what was supposed to be a day to seal the championship, in Shamva.
“We had a very difficult game in Shamva in which we created a lot of chances, especially in the opening minutes, with the hope of getting early goals and easing ourselves of pressure,” he said.
“However, in those three or so opportunities we failed to convert, we realised that the boys had a lot of pressure. Perhaps it is something that we should have looked at throughout the preparations.
“Now we are forced to focus much on the coming game and fight for an outright win at home, which is something that we could have avoided to ease ourselves of pressure, but it is what it is and it had to drag to the last day.”
For Kaindu, who endured near misses twice successively with Highlanders in 2011 and 2012, the Zambian expatriate is, however, confident that this is his year to finally bag it.
While Chahwanda has not been a good hunting ground for visitors, Hardrock have lost three times in their own backyard, while in total they have five defeats in their debut season.
Currently they sit on a 14-game unbeaten streak in the league after their last defeat came at home on July 19 (2-1) to Triangle.However, their fate will be decided against a resurgent FC Platinum who are currently three league games (five in all competitions) unbeaten, under Thabo Senong.
Both sides have conceded three times in their last three league games and defensively will not be easy to break. Kaindu understands that destiny is firmly in their hands, and only a straight win can add them to the history book as the third team to win the league title in their debut top-flight season.
“The destiny is now in our own hands, we should not look at what is happening elsewhere, so we just have to take a breather and come back for the final hurdle fully focused,” said Kaindu.
