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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
TALEN Vision registered the biggest win in the Southern Region Division One League by hammering NRZ Tigers 6-0 in Bulawayo at the weekend.
With the championship race now firmly a two-team race pitting Hwange and Tsholotsho, the battle for a top-four finish is hotting up, with ZPC Hwange, Indlovu Iyanyathela, Makomo, Vision and Bosso 90 all in the mix.
Seven points separate third-placed ZPC Hwange and Bosso 90, who are seventh on the league table. ZPC Hwange are on 39 points from 22 games.
ZPC Hwange collected maximum points following a solitary goal by Thomas Chimenya against Moto Moto to dislodge Indlovu Iyanyathela, who dropped points following a goalless draw against Casmyn.
Indlovu Iyanyathela slipped into fourth and are tied on 37 points with fifth-placed Makomo, who edged Zim Leopards 2-1 in Bulawayo.
Vision are sixth with 35 points and had no mercy for visiting NRZ Leopards.
Midfielder Njabulo Ngwenya, strikers Grey Kufandada and Mlungisi Ncube each scored a brace in Vision’s mauling of Leopards.
Meanwhile, log leaders Hwange survived an early scare to whip Plumtree-based Main Line 3-0. An own goal and strikes each by veteran striker Gilbert Zulu as well as Ernest Gwitima propelled Hwange to victory.
“Like I said in the build up to the weekend’s game, teams at the bottom give us a good run for our money and I must say we were lucky, as we survived two scares in the first half. They (Main Line) hit the goal post twice, but we maintained our composure and fought for the three points. We now have to focus on our next game and rectify the mistakes we made during the weekend,” said Nation Dube, Hwange coach.
Tsholotsho are heavily breathing on Hwange’s neck, trailing the coalminers by five points. Tsholotsho beat Bosso 90 3-1 courtesy of a brace by Michael Bhebhe and an Adolf Muganyi goal. Bosso 90’s face saver came from Sylvester Ndlovu.
“Our focus is on collecting as many points as we can from our remaining games and avoid worrying about how other teams are playing. Credit goes to the boys, who keep fighting with every game. It’s an exciting season and the competition looks healthy,” said Joseph Sibindi, Tsholotsho’s coach.
Results
Saturday: Hwange 3-0 Main Line (Gilbert Zulu, Ernerst Gwitima, own goal), Casmyn 0-0 Indlovu Iyanyathela, ZPC Hwange 1-0 Moto Moto (Thomas Chimenya), Tsholotsho 3-1 Bosso 90 (Michael Bhebhe, Adolf Muganyi, Sylvester Ndlovu), Toronto 0-3 CIWU, Talen Vision 6-0 NRZ Leopards (Grey Kufandada, Mlungisi Ncube, Njabulo Ngwenya)
Sunday: Mosi Rovers 1-1 ZRP Bulawayo Province, Zim Leopards 1-2 Makomo
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Hwange 22 16 4 2 42 12 30 52
Tsholotsho 22 13 8 1 27 11 16 47
ZPC Hwange 22 10 9 3 21 11 10 39
I. Iyanyathela 22 10 7 5 29 16 13 37
Makomo 22 10 6 5 30 24 6 37
Talen Vision 22 9 8 5 31 15 16 35
Bosso 90 22 8 8 6 21 17 4 32
CIWU 22 7 8 7 23 21 2 28
Mosi Rovers 22 7 4 11 24 29 -5 25
Moto Moto 21 5 9 8 16 18 -2 24
Casmyn 22 5 7 10 12 24 -12 22
Zim Leopards 22 5 6 11 17 30 -13 21
Main Line 22 5 5 12 14 29 -17 20
Toronto 22 2 12 8 10 22 -12 18
ZRP Bulawayo 22 3 6 13 13 29 -16 16
NRZ Leopards 21 3 5 13 11 34 -23 14
– @ZililoR
Online Reporter