adminMehluli Sibanda Acting Sports Editor
STILL mired deep in the relegation zone with nine matches remaining in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, Tsholotsho are aiming for three points when they face How Mine at White City Stadium this afternoon. With just three wins, nine draws and the same number of defeats in the 21 matches they have played so far, Tsholotsho desperately need to collect maximum points if they are to avoid returning to the unfashionable world of Division One. Lizwe Sweswe’s boys have failed to maintain consistency from the beginning of the season which has seen them fail to replicate their shock 1-0 victory over Harare City in Harare at the beginning of the league.
Sweswe conceded that things were getting tougher and there was a need for his team to start winning in order to survive. The last of their three wins came in July when they recorded another 1-0 upset over ZPC Kariba away.
“The games are getting tougher, we’re looking at survival, we haven’t been playing well, at least How Mine are on the safe side, we’re the ones under pressure, we’ve to collect maximum points. Our target is to work as a team to achieve what we want to achieve,’’ said Sweswe.
He attributed their poor display to a number of factors like playing their home matches away from their Tsholotsho dwellings in Bulawayo which he said has affected his players psychologically.
“Not having a home ground has affected us a lot, travelling up and down has had an effect on the boys but I’ve been with them for a long time, they are not the relegation type,’’ Sweswe said.
Going into this weekend’s fixture, the William Stima captained Iziqholo ZeZhwane were third from the bottom with 18 points while How Mine on the other hand were sixth on the log with 31 points. How Mine won the first meeting between the two teams played in May 1-0.
In other fixtures lined up for this afternoon, Whawha meet Triangle at Ascot, Dongo Sawmill clash with Chapungu at Vengere while Caps United square off with Buffaloes at the National Sports Stadium.
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo