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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE last three matches of the season involving Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title chasing and relegation threatened sides will be played simultaneously.

Both the championship and the relegation battles have reached fever pitch, with football lovers set for an electrifying finish.

In a bid to uphold the spirit of fair play, PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said the games will be played on the “same day, same time”.

Barring circumstances beyond their control, the 2017 season will end on the weekend of November 26/27.

“Everything being equal, we will end our season on the last weekend of November, in time to send the country’s representatives for continental club competitions. Teams involved in the championship and relegation races will play their last three matches at the same time, on the same day. We’re looking forward to an exciting finish,” said Ndebele.

Following last weekend’s incident in Kariba where the ZPC Kariba and Chicken Inn encounter at Nyamhunga Stadium had to be played on a Sunday morning instead of Saturday because of a waterlogged pitch, the league is hopeful that local authorities will speedily attend to drainage issues.

“Of course we expect stadium owners to attend to drainages and if possible provide pumps to drain water at the stadium. They may even have fire tenders on standby to clear storm drains,” Ndebele said.

Besides Kariba’s Nyamhunga Stadium, Ascot Stadium in Gweru is another facility which has had matches postponed because of its poor drainage system. Barbourfields and Luveve stadiums had their drainage systems sorted when the city played host to the 2014 African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games.

Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane has one of the best drainage systems.

FC Platinum are tied on 63 points with log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars, Dynamos are two points behind on third position while Chicken Inn sit on 59 points and are on fourth position.

League games resume on Wednesday, with Ngezi and Chicken Inn locking horns at Baobab Stadium before taking on FC Platinum at Mandava next weekend. Ngezi wrap up their campaign at home against Triangle United. FC Platinum’s next opponents are relegated Tsholotsho in Beitbridge and their last game is against Chapungu in Gweru.

DeMbare’s remaining games are against Bulawayo City (away), Bantu Rovers (away) and Chicken Inn (home).

The Gamecocks will play Chapungu at home in between their Ngezi and Dynamos trips.

At the tail end of the table, Bantu Rovers and Tsholotsho have been relegated, leaving third from bottom Shabanie Mine, Hwange, Bulawayo City, Harare City, Yadah, Black Rhinos and Chapungu entangled in the relegation dog fight.

Remaining PSL fixtures

Matchday 32, Wednesday, November 14: Bulawayo City v Dynamos (Barbourfields), Ngezi Platinum v Chicken Inn (Baobab), ZPC Kariba v Triangle United (Nyamhunga), Harare City v Black Rhinos (Rufaro), Chapungu v Bantu Rovers (Ascot), Tsholotsho FC v FC Platinum (Dulivhadzimo), Caps United v Yadah FC (National Sports Stadium), Shabanie Mine v Hwange (Maglas)

Thursday, November 15: Highlanders v How Mine (Barbourfields)
Matchday 33, Saturday, November 18: FC Platinum v Ngezi Platinum (Mandava), Chicken Inn v Chapungu (Luveve), Bantu Rovers v Dynamos (Barbourfields)

Sunday, November 19: Caps United v Bulawayo City (National Sports Stadium), Yadah FC v Highlanders (Rufaro), How Mine v Shabanie Mine (Luveve), Hwange v Harare City (Colliery), Black Rhinos v ZPC Kariba (Morris Depot), Triangle United v Tsholotsho FC (Gibbo)
Matchday 34 (weekend of November 25/26): Bulawayo City v Bantu Rovers, Dynamos v Chicken Inn, Chapungu v FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars v Triangle, Tsholotsho FC v Black Rhinos, ZPC Kariba v Hwange, Hrare City v How Mine, Shabanie Mine v Yadah FC, Highlanders v Caps United — @ZililoR.