adminZPC Hwange and How Mine are tied on 43 points with the former having played a game more than the gold miners and they sit at top of the log due to a superior goal difference.
With the championship race heating up, How Mine and third placed Bantu Rovers drew their weekend matches with former Premiership side Railstars holding How Mine to a two-all draw while Tshintha Guluva played a goalless draw with Tsholotsho Pirates.
Bantu Rovers’ gaffer Reuben Tsengwa was happy with the point they picked up and declared that the championship race was still wide open.
“We are not panicking at all. What we just have to do is to concentrate on our games and see to it that we pick maximum points.
“I believe we are still in the championship race and the point we got against Tsholotsho Pirates was a vital one for us seeing that we are just a point behind the top two teams,” Tsengwa said.
Bantu Rovers are third on the log with 42 points from 20 outings and have to brace for stiff championship challenge from ZPC Hwange and How Mine who are also gunning for the title.
Former Highlanders midfielders Johannes Ngodzo and Abraham Mbaiwa are expected to use their experience to guide Bantu Rovers in their quest to clinch the championship.
While other former Premiership teams like Bantu Rovers and Railstars are fighting for the title, Zimbabwe Saints are fighting a survival battle.
Chikwata, fifth from the bottom drew 1-1 with Power Cosmos in Hwange.
The bottom three teams at the end of the season will be automatically relegated.
An extra club will be relegated should Quelaton go down.
From the look of things, Quelaton looks set to be heading for the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League and if Zimbabwe Saints who are on position 13 with 24 points do not improve, they will sink to the Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Division Two League.
“We will not be relegated. We will fight hard to come out of the relegation zone.
“We have assembled a good team of fighters and the good thing is that these players are eager to make names for themselves. I trust they will fight up to the last game,” said Edmore Sibanda, the Zimbabwe Saints gaffer.
Results
Saturday: How Mine 2, Railstars 2; Emakhandeni Pirates 0, Ntabazinduna Prison 2; Tsholotsho Pirates 0, Bantu Rovers 0; Hwange Juniors 1, New West City 2; Rufaro Rovers 0, Bulawayo Chiefs 0; ZPC Hwange 1, Mpumalanga United 0
Sunday: Power Cosmos 1, Zimbabwe Saints 1; Projects 1, Black Boots
derick.khumalo