Relegation fight in Hwange

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
FIVE Premier Soccer League teams will battle it out this afternoon for the survival to remain in the top flight as two matches before the season is wrapped up.

Yadah, Shabanie Mine, Hwange, Harare City and Bulawayo City are all in the firing line and any team that slips up this afternoon could pretty much say goodbye to the Castle Lager Premiership.

Three points separates the five teams, two of whom will fill in the two remaining relegation slots with the other two having been taken up by Bantu Rovers and Tsholotsho.

The fierce battle is at the Colliery in Hwange where the coal miners, who are on 34 points, take on Harare City (35 point) in a match that is likely to seal the fate of either side.

Hwange are third from bottom and have struggled all season and Bigboy Mawiwi’s arrival as the head of the technical team during just after the mid-season break did not stem their woeful patch.

Despite losing away during the week against Shabanie, they would be banking on the motivation of their last home match that saw them beat Highlanders 3-0 while Harare City seem to be failing to transfer their form that saw them lift the Chibuku Super Cup to the league, losing their midweek fixture 1-0 to Black Rhinos.

Losing today’s game could spell doom for the side that won the right to represent Zimbabwe in the Caf Confederations Cup as they would play in the African Safari from Division One.

Bulawayo City are in the most unenviable position as they take on league champions, Caps United who are in blistering form having not lost a single of their last 12 matches.

City’s coach Mandla Mpofu put on a brace face during the week saying he is hopeful they would retain their place in the league but stakes are high against them although they face Bantu Rovers in the last game where they hope to pick up points. Shabanie, on position 13, face How Mine at Luveve Stadium while Yadah are up against an indifferent Highlanders, whom they have a high chance of beating to secure their place among the big boys of football next year.

Fixtures
Today: Caps United v Bulawayo City (National Sports Stadium), Yadah FC v Highlanders (Rufaro), How Mine v Shabanie Mine (Luveve, 1PM), Chicken Inn v Chapungu (Luveve), Hwange v Harare City (Colliery), Black Rhinos v ZPC Kariba (Morris Depot), Triangle United v Tsholotsho FC (Gibbo)