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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
TEARS of both joy and sorrow are expected at the end of the Castle Lager Premiership matches today as five teams make their final moves in the battle for survival in the topflight league.
Former champions Black Rhinos, who have previously suffered the ignominy of being demoted to the second tier, are on the relegation spotlight along with ZPC Kariba, Yadah, Triangle and new boys Sheasham.
The PSL have strategically fixtured all the relegation matches for today to avoid possible controversies and chances of manipulation. Rhinos will play Simba Bhora in their last match at Baobab.
Prophet Walter Magaya’s Yadah host Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium, Triangle travel to GreenFuel, Sheasham welcome FC Platinum at Bata while ZPC Kariba travel to Mandava to face Cranborne Bullets.
Bullets are the only side officially relegated after the army side gave up the fight with two rounds of play remaining.
But fellow soldiers Rhinos had to stretch their hopes to the last day after a spirited performance under Saul Chaminuka towards the back end of the campaign.
Black Rhinos kept the window slightly open for themselves when they beat fellow relegation candidates Sheasham 3-2 in their last match at Bata.
The victory, the first back-to-back this season, was massive ahead of their final match against Simba Bhora, which they need an outright win.
“We have this game now, which is a decider. It’s a game that we cannot think of any other result other than a win.
“The boys know it and it’s now up to them to decide whether we are going to stay or not,” said Chaminuka.
Four teams are demoted every season.
New boys Sheasham, Black Rhinos and Triangle are the teams currently in the relegation zone after experiencing mixed fortunes last weekend.
Interestingly, the three teams are tied on 35 points.
Their hopes rest on slip-ups by ZPC Kariba (38 points) and Yadah (37) who are also in real danger of facing the chop because of their proximity to the bottom four in terms of points. ZPC Kariba have the best chance of surviving but if they lose today, their goal deficit of -24, which is more than twice higher than their rivals’, could be fatal.
Yadah left themselves in a complicated situation after losing 2-1 to Chicken Inn last weekend. But they could also escape with a draw in their last match against Dynamos.
But to ensure total safety, going for maximum points against the Glamour Boys will be ideal. Yadah are not likely to find it easy as DeMbare are vying for a second-place finish and would need a win to fend off Manica Diamonds.
Lowveld side Triangle, Black Rhinos and Sheasham have no choice but to win their last match against FC Platinum to enhance their slim chances.
Triangle, who stumbled in their last game against CAPS United after playing a 1-1 home draw cannot afford the same kind of result in their last game at GreenFuel.
Sheasham, also on 35 points, have a tall order against FC Platinum.
Their coach Lizwe Sweswe came short of admitting that they had lost the battle to stay in the topflight league. They play dethroned former champions FC Platinum in the last game of the season.
“Look, we tried our best but we conceded from two set pieces and we didn’t defend very well. I have got a feeling that our chances of survival are very low.
“I don’t know; we will see the next match. As a coach, I think I have tried and sometimes failing after having tried is the best way forward,” he said.
Fixtures:
Today: Bulawayo Chiefs v Manica Diamonds (Luveve), GreenFuel v Triangle (GreenFuel), Yadah v Dynamos (NSS), Sheasham v FC Platinum (Bata), Cranborne v ZPC Kariba (Mandava), Simba Bhora v Black Rhinos (Baobab)
Tomorrow: CAPS Utd v Herentals (NSS), Hwange v Chicken Inn (Colliery), Highlanders v Ngezi Platinum (Barbourfields)
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