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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FC Platinum blew their one-point lead at the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table when they went down 1-2 to Harare City to surrender top spot to revived Harare giants Caps United at the weekend.

The Zvishavane side had to win in Harare to maintain their one-point gap, but choked, and Caps United seized the initiative with a convincing 3-1 win over struggling Beitbridge-based side Border Strikers.

They went into the weekend games leading the pack on 51 points, with Caps United on 50 and Highlanders 47. But by sunset on Sunday, Caps United were on top with 53 points, FC Platinum remained on 51, while Highlanders netted a last gasp winner against Chapungu at Ascot Stadium in Gweru to move to 50 points.

FC Platinum have been at the top of the table for the better part of the season just as they did in their maiden season in the topflight in 2011 when they looked set to make history and lift the PSL title at the first attempt.

They had a four-point lead over Dynamos going into the last five games of the 2011 season, but their nerves somehow failed to hold and were pipped to the title by DeMbare on goal difference after both teams ended the season tied on 58 points.

In the last five games of the 2011 season, FC Platinum only managed to pick up nine points out of a possible 15 while Dynamos amassed an incredible 13 points and improved their goal difference in the process to be crowned champions.

Fast-forward to 2016, the championship destiny is no longer in FC Platinum’s hands following that loss to Harare City.

The gap might look small, but at this stage of the championship race, a title contender can’t afford to drop points like what FC Platinum did.

After all, they had gone into the final third of the season carrying a five-point lead. At the end of Week 20, FC Platinum were on 42 points followed by Caps United on 37, while dark horses Bosso were 10 points behind the leaders on 32 points. Today Highlanders trail FC Platinum by just a single point.

FC Platinum are left with two tricky away games against Chapungu at Ascot Stadium on Week 28 and at relegation threatened Tsholotsho FC on the last day of the season.

FC Platinum edged Chapungu 1-0 in Zvishavane, but the airmen have proved to be hard to beat at home. With a bit of luck, they could have snatched a point against a fired up Highlanders had their rearguard not gone to sleep in the 90th minute allowing young Bosso striker Prince Dube to coolly slot home the game’s solitary goal.

FC Platinum’s next match is a must-win home against Ngezi Platinum Stars to remain in contention.

The game that could eventually decide the championship for FC Platinum is their Week 29 home game against Highlanders.

Both FC Platinum and Highlanders will be hoping that Caps United slip along the way. The rejuvenated Green Machine is left with three games in Harare, starting with derby against rivals Dynamos before they take on Harare City and Ngezi Platinum.

They travel to Chapungu on the last day of the season, but it is the three Harare games that should ultimately determine Caps United’s title fate.

Highlanders’ fairytale run in the league continued and their 1-0 win over Chapungu on Saturday was their sixth successive win.

Bosso, who last won the championship in 2006, set themselves a target of winning all their remaining matches and so far they are on course.

“The only thing we can do is win our games if we’re to win something. What other teams (Caps United and FC Platinum) do is not our problem, we just have to do it for ourselves,” said Bosso coach Erol Akbay, while announcing that they were aiming for maximum points in the remaining matches.

Highlanders’ remaining games are two home clashes against Bulawayo City and Tsholotsho FC, followed by a trip to Mandava for a date with FC Platinum before they wrap up the season with a home fixture against Hwange.

Results

Saturday: Ngezi Platinum 1-1 Tsholotsho FC, ZPC Kariba 1-0 Triangle United, How Mine 0-0 Mutare City Rovers, Harare City 2-1 FC Platinum, Chapungu 0-1 Highlanders

Sunday: Bulawayo City 0-1 Chicken Inn, Dynamos 1-1 Hwange, Border Strikers 1-3 Caps United

Table
P     W    D    L    F    A    GD    Pts
Caps United                       26    15    8    3    36    18    18    53
FC Platinum                      26    14    9    3     29    14    17    51
Highlanders                       26    15    5    6    34    18    16    50
ZPC Kariba                         26    10    11    5    21    16    5    41
Dynamos                            26    10    9    7    21    18    3    39
Harare City                        26    11    5    10    29    22    7    38
Chicken Inn                       26    9    8    9    24    18    6    35
Ngezi Platinum                 26    9    7    10    23    25    -2    34
Triangle United                 26    9    7    10    24    29    -5    34
Hwange                               26    8    8    10    22    28    -6    32
How Mine                           26    7    11    8    24    23    1    32
Chapungu                           26    7    10    9    21    22    -1    31
*Mutare City                      26    6    7    13    19    37    -18    22
Tsholotsho FC                    26    5    5    16    18    31    -13    20
Border Strikers                  26    4    2    20    10    36    -26    14

*Three points deducted for use of a suspended player.

@ZililoR