Online Reporter
Nkosilathi Sibanda [email protected]
SIMBISA tightened their grip on the Bulawayo Corporate Social Soccer League (BCSSL) title race, maintaining an eight-point lead at the summit despite not being in action during the latest round of outstanding fixtures played on Saturday.
The log leaders benefited from favourable results elsewhere as their closest challengers, Overnight, Zimtile and Value Gas, also did not play, leaving the top four positions unchanged.
The biggest movers of the weekend were fifth-placed Hope, who boosted their championship aspirations with a convincing 3-0 victory over Grills. The win took Hope to 34 points from 17 matches, narrowing the gap on the leading pack.
Warehouse Distribution also enhanced their chances of a top-four finish after overcoming Zetdc 3-1 to move onto 29 points. They are now level on points with Nust Academics, who edged Rydings Auto 1-0 to remain eighth on goal difference.
Chibuku continued their impressive campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Millennium. The victory lifted them to 30 points from 16 matches, just four points behind Hope while holding a game in hand, strengthening their hopes of climbing further up the standings.
At Imbizo Barracks Ground, Ostrich produced one of the standout performances of the round, thrashing struggling Coca-Cola 5-1. Despite the emphatic win, Ostrich remained 14th on 16 points, while Coca-Cola’s difficult season continued as they stayed rooted to the foot of the table with just three points after a 16th defeat in 17 outings.
In a friendly encounter, Speed Shipping and Proton shared the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw.
With most teams having now played 17 matches, Simbisa remain firmly on course for the title with 46 points after winning 15 of their fixtures. Overnight are second on 38 points, while Zimtile and Value Gas are tied on 35 points, separated only by goal difference.
The race for the top eight is becoming increasingly competitive, with Hope, Chibuku, Warehouse Distribution and Nust Academics all well placed to challenge as the second half of the season gathers momentum.
Weekend results:
Ostrich 5-1 Coca-Cola
Zetdc 1-3 Warehouse Distribution
Millennium 0-1 Chibuku
Rydings Auto 0-1 Nust Academics
Grills 0-3 Hope
