Battle for survival lends life to PSL dead rubbers

CHAMPIONS FC Platinum are set to be handed their Castle Lager Premiership football title at home next week but the fight is still far from over at the other end of the table where the desperate fight for survival is set to dominate the last two rounds of the campaign. The platinum miners, who travel to Gibbo tomorrow to face Triangle, sealed the championship race with three games remaining two weeks ago, leaving giants Dynamos and 2015 champions Chicken Inn battling for second place.

But the real battles are at the bottom end of the table where two more teams are set to be relegated after basement sides Whawha and Tenax had accepted their fate.

Harare City and Bulawayo City who complete the bottom four have an interesting date at Barbourfields this afternoon. Harare City, who sit third from the bottom, need an outright win to hang on, at least until the final day of the marathon, depending on how results go elsewhere.

Taurayi Mangwiro’s men have 29 points in the bag, five from the last position of safety and their fate is no longer in their hands. They could just become the third team to be officially demoted if they fail to collect maximum points in Bulawayo today.

Bulawayo City, on the other hand, are still fancying their chances after a run of three wins in succession brought them to 33 points, two points behind ZPC Kariba, who occupy the last position of safety.

Cranborne Bullets, who host Tenax at Vengere today, are also still in the mix. With Bulawayo City still able to reach maximum 39 points, giants CAPS United may still need maximum points against Bulawayo Chiefs at the National Sports Stadium this afternoon to steer completely clear of the murky waters. CAPS United have 38 points from 32 games. ZPC Kariba, who sit just above the relegation cut off point with 35 points, have a difficult away assignment at Barbourfields against giants Highlanders tomorrow.

Bosso are aiming for a strong finish, and possibly finish in the top four placing, following a mid-season recovery under Portuguese

coach Baltemar Brito.

Highlanders have dedicated this last home game against ZPC Kariba to their late development player Caesar “Mafigo” Dube, who died from injuries he sustained in a freak road accident earlier this week. “As the Highlanders family we are sad because we knew the boy. It was sad news to us.

Fixtures

Today: CAPS Utd v Bulawayo Chiefs ( NSS), Cranborne Bullets v Tenax (Vengere), Bulawayo City v Harare City (Barbourfields), Whawha v Black Rhinos (Ascot)

Tomorrow: Manica Diamonds v Ngezi Platinum (Sakubva), Triangle v FC Platinum (Gibbo), Highlanders v ZPC Kariba (Barbourfields), Herentals v Dynamos (