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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
LOCAL football enthusiasts should brace for an intriguing end to the Castle Lager Premiership with a close scrutiny of the log standings revealing that for a team to survive, it needs 43 points.After a weekend that saw two teams Motor Action and Tripple B condemned to the unfashionable Division One Soccer League, only the top four teams Dynamos, Harare City, Highlanders and FC Platinum are safe from relegation with Caps United needing a point from their last four matches to be secure.
The Green Machine has 42 points. Army side Black Rhinos who are fourth from the bottom put the final nail on Motor Action’s coffin handing them a 0-2 defeat while Triangle turned the heat on Tripple B who they thrashed 5-0 at Dulibadzimu Stadium on Saturday.
The next four league weeks will certainly be pulsating as it is now that time of the season when coaches and their clubs will be busy calculating points.
Below are the teams whose next four outings will have a bearing on their survival and along the way, some of these relegation threatened clubs will face some championship contenders:
Monomotapa position 13;
The former champions Monomotapa are third from the bottom and picked a vital point when they were held to a one-all draw by Chicken Inn on Sunday with Ronald Chitiyo scoring for the Harare club while Tendai Ndoro got the equaliser for the Gamecocks.
Monomotapa has amassed 26 points from a similar number of outings and should they win their last four encounters, they will end the season on 38 points.
Their last four matches are away to Black Mambas who are not safe, How Mine at home, Buffaloes (away) and end with a home game against Black Rhinos.
They have a number of experienced players in their squad like Chitiyo, Morgan Mungombe, Hillary Mugoniwa and Nelson Melson who are expected to lead their survival fight.
Black Rhinos position 14;
Black Rhinos are sitting on a knife-edge, fourth from the bottom with 30 points. The army side can end the season on 42 points in the event that they win all their remaining games.
At the weekend Black Rhinos continued with their survival fight beating Motor Action 2-0. In their last four matches, they will meet championship contenders Harare City at Rimuka, take on Caps United at the National Sports Stadium, play host to Hwange and end their season against Monomotapa.
Either Monomotapa or Black Rhinos will fail to collect maximum points in their remaining matches as they will face each other on the last day of the season.
Black Mambas position 13;
Despite going down 1-3 to Hwange at the Colliery Stadium on Sunday, Black Mambas managed to stay two points clear of Black Rhinos. The John ‘Toto’ Ncube coached Black Mambas will have to be venomous in their last four outings if they have any hopes of staying in the top flight.
Along their survival journey, they will meet relegation threatened Monomotapa in their next match knowing that a defeat against the former champions might see them lose their spot in the event that Black Rhinos beat Harare City. Black Mambas will travel to Zvishavane to face championship dark horses FC Platinum who are fourth on the table with 45 points, play host to relegated Tripple B and end their campaign with a tough assignment against Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium.
Shabanie Mine position 12;
Luke Masomere’s team is sinking slowly into the murky relegation waters despite having a number of seasoned players like Tafadzwa Mombeshora, Victor Twaliki, Tarisai Rukanda and Valentine Ndaba among others. They have 33 points and can end the season with 45 in the event that they beat relegated Tripple B at home in their next game, Dynamos (away), Triangle at home and their last league match against Bulawayo giants Highlanders.
Three clubs Hwange, How Mine and Buffaloes are tied on 35 points and also need to keep picking up points to ensure their survival.
After the weekend results, Hwange moved into the top eight following their 3-1 win over Black Mambas at the Colliery on Sunday. Chipangano went for their weekend outing sitting on position 11.
Results at a glance
Sunday: Hwange 3, Black Mambas 1; Highlanders 0, Dynamos 1; Monomotapa 1, Chicken Inn 1
Saturday: FC Platinum 1, Shabanie Mine 0; Motor Action 0, Black Rhinos 2; Caps United 1, How Mine 0; Harare City 2, Buffaloes 1; Tripple B 0, Triangle 5
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter