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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
CONTENDERS for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title and teams fighting relegation will play their remaining three matches at the same time to prevent any possible manipulation of results.
PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said the decision to have the teams playing at the same time was made in the spirit of fair play.
“We’ve decided to have all teams involved either in the title or relegation races playing the remaining fixtures on the same day and time. This is something that we’ve always done and I’m sure teams and fans will have an exciting end of the season,” said Ndebele.
League leaders Chicken Inn, who have been sitting at the top since Week Six, are tightly contesting for the title with second placed FC Platinum.
The Gamecocks have 54 points off 27 games and are two points ahead of FC Platinum and six above defending champions and third placed Dynamos, whose chance of winning a record fifth consecutive title appear slim. DeMbare take on Dongo Sawmill in Rusape.
News that all teams will play at the same time were warmly received by Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas, whose team played their last league game against Whawha two hours before FC Platinum clashed with Harare City. The Gamecocks and Whawha game was played at 1:30PM a fortnight ago and ended 1-1, with Chicken Inn finding a late equaliser through Toto Banda.
FC Platinum went on to beat Harare City 2-0 at Mandava Stadium two hours after the Chicken Inn match to reduce the deficit to just two points going into the last three fixtures of the season.
“I believe it’s only normal for everyone involved in the title race to play at the same time. We’re all under massive pressure, but it’s a bit unfair to have others playing at a different time. I think what the PSL have done is to level the playing field, not that it hasn’t been level, but at this stage the decision that they’ve taken is very much fair,” said Antipas.
All the PSL teams play their Week 28 matches tomorrow with leaders Chicken Inn involved in a tricky assignment against Tsholotsho FC at White City Stadium while FC Platinum travel to Harare for a date with third from bottom club Flame Lily.
Antipas has predicted a tough game against Tsholotsho, who pulled a shocker in their last league match, beating Hwange 1-0 at the Colliery Stadium courtesy of a well-struck free-kick by captain William Stima.
“These matches against lowly placed teams are the trickiest and we’ve to fight really hard for points. Tsholotsho are a side that’s on its way up and has to be treated with the utmost respect that it deserves. Whawha gave us a real scare, but we’ve to live beyond that and do our best against Tsholotsho. Remember the title is ours to lose at this stage and we really need to beat Tsholotsho,” Antipas said.
Chicken Inn go into tomorrow’s game bubbling with confidence following their NetOne sponsored Easycall Cup quarter-final win against ZPC Kariba.
The league leaders had the luxury of resting key players like midfielder and captain Danny “Deco” Phiri, defenders Brian Mbiriri and Moses Jackson, their top goal scorer Edmore Chirambadare and midfield kingpin Clemence Matawu for the Kariba trip. They also left goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze in Bulawayo, giving Pride Zendera a rare start.
Zendera will start against Tsholotsho as Chipezeze is part of the nine suspended players for Week 28. Tsholotsho have striker Nixon Gama on that list.
The Zhwane Boys are fifth from the bottom and will not go down without a fight.
Tsholotsho gaffer Lizwe Sweswe said they are taking each game as it comes.
“As much as we’re concentrating on our games, I think the PSL has done well to have all teams involved in the survival fight playing at the same time. Instead of doing mathematics when others have played, every team will all endure the same pressure. The survival fate is in our hands and with this good and fair decision from the PSL, it’s game on,” said Sweswe.
Buffaloes, who presently occupy the last relegation spot, are at home to ZPC Kariba.
Remaining Castle Lager Premier Soccer League fixtures
Tomorrow: Tsholotsho FC v Chicken Inn (White City), Flame Lily FC v FC Platinum (Lafarge), Caps United v How Mine (National Sports Stadium), Dongo Sawmill v Dynamos (Vengere), Chapungu v Triangle United (Ascot), Buffaloes v ZPC Kariba (Sakubva), Hwange v Highlanders (Colliery), Harare City v Whawha (Rufaro)
Matchday 29
Saturday, November 21: Chicken Inn v Harare City (Luveve, 3PM SuperSport), FC Platinum v Caps United (Mandava), ZPC Kariba v Hwange (Nyamhunga), Dynamos v Chapungu (Rufaro)
Sunday, November 22: How Mine v Dongo Sawmill (Luveve), Highlanders v Tsholotsho FC (Barbourfields, 3PM SuperSport), Whawha v Flame Lily (Ascot), Triangle United v Buffaloes (Gibbo)
Matchday 30
Saturday, November 28: Chapungu v How Mine (Ascot), Tsholotsho FC v Harare City (White City), Caps United v Whawha (National Sports Stadium), Flame Lily v Chicken Inn (Lafarge), Dongo Sawmill v FC Platinum (Vengere), Buffaloes v Dynamos (Sakubva)
Sunday, November 29: Hwange v Triangle United (Colliery), Highlanders v ZPC Kariba (Barbourfields)
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