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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

BULAWAYO faces the prospect of remaining with just Highlanders in the top flight next season as the other three teams are all facing relegation.

As the Castle Lager Premiership action returns this weekend after a two-week break due to a cup tournament, the three Bulawayo clubs – Chicken Inn, How Mine and Bantu Rovers – will continue with their survival fight.

Eight rounds of matches are remaining before the season ends with four teams – Dynamos, Highlanders, ZPC Kariba and Caps United in the championship race.

No doubt, the title fight has generated interest among football fans with very little attention given to clubs that are facing the chop.

What makes the relegation battle even more fascinating is that mathematically no team from the league is safe from going down.

At this stage of the competition every point counts and clubs that are keen on playing in the topflight next season cannot afford to drop any if they are to survive.

Chicken Inn, How Mine and Bantu Rovers, faced with a possibility of sinking into the unfashionable first division, have to up their game in the last eight rounds of matches and pick as many points as possible.

Second from the bottom Bantu Rovers with 17 points need a miracle to survive and this weekend they are involved in a derby with Chicken Inn who they beat in the first leg.

Chicken Inn are on position seven tied on 30 points with Buffaloes and go into the Tshintsha Guluva match smarting from a 1-3 defeat to Chapungu while their opponents had a morale boosting 0-0 draw with Caps United.

The Gamecocks gaffer Joey Antipas admitted feeling the heat and said they are hard-pressed for a victory.

“We’re sitting precariously on the table and we’re in a position that we don’t want to be. Look, we are mid table but the difference in terms of points is very minimal. We have to try and pick as many maximum points as possible.

“I think this year’s competition has been very tight and all the teams are giving their best that is why you find so many teams clustered in the drop zone. What we have to do is try and win our games and concentrate on what we can do rather than rely on other teams to do the work for us. Bantu Rovers might be down but they are certainly not pushovers,” said Antipas.

Chicken Inn, on paper, have a stronger squad than Bantu Rovers and it remains to be seen whether they will be able to be tactically superior to their opponents.

Former Highlanders striker Mkhokheli Dube who once plied his trade in America and South Africa, Ramson Zhuwawo, Passmore Bernard, skipper Danny “Deco” Phiri, Clemence Matawu, Brian Mbiriri and Thabani Goredema are some of their seasoned players.

They will have to contend with the likes of veteran defender Hebert Dick, Zephaniah Ngodzo, Obadiah Tarumbwa and Nqobizitha Masuku who are Bantu Rovers’ most experienced players.

With Methembe Ndlovu out of the country, new head coach Mandla Mpofu is upbeat about the new challenge.

“Like we have said before, it’s only a matter of time before we get our break. It’s not over till the last whistle of the season and we intend to fight to the end. Actually we have nothing to lose so the teams who we play will be under pressure as they will be pressed for a win and we intend to pounce on them once they open up.

“As for the game against Chicken Inn, we can’t rely on history but it would be great if we complete a double,” said Mpofu.

How Mine are just a place above the drop zone and after their 1-3 defeat to Highlanders in the Chibuku Super Cup last Sunday coach Luke Masomere was of the view that being booted out of the competition gives him time to concentrate on their survival fight.

“What is important is to take each game as it comes. I am sticking to my story that is I’m building for next season so that we compete with the best for the championship. However, even if we’re building we still have to get positive results. I think the positive thing right now is that we don’t have to worry about other competitions as we’ll be concentrating on league matches,” said Masomere.

How Mine have a tricky away tie to Caps United who have proved to be hard to beat in Harare.

What makes the gold miners’ encounter even more intriguing is that Caps United are within the reach of the title and they will want to close in on Dynamos who are on 42 points, four ahead of Makepekepe.

The rocky dressing at Caps United might work against them though.

 

Fixtures

Saturday: Chicken Inn v Bantu Rovers (Hartsfield), FC Platinum v Dynamos (Mandava), Harare City v Highlanders (Rufaro), Chiredzi v Shabanie Mine (Chishamiso)

Sunday: Caps United v How Mine (Rufaro), Buffaloes v Triangle United (Sakubva), Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery), ZPC Kariba v Black Rhinos (TBA)

BULAWAYO faces the prospect of remaining with just Highlanders in the top flight next season as the other three teams are all facing relegation.

As the Castle Lager Premiership action returns this weekend after a two-week break due to a cup tournament, the three Bulawayo clubs – Chicken Inn, How Mine and Bantu Rovers – will continue with their survival fight.

Eight rounds of matches are remaining before the season ends with four teams – Dynamos, Highlanders, ZPC Kariba and Caps United in the championship race.

No doubt, the title fight has generated interest among football fans with very little attention given to clubs that are facing the chop.

What makes the relegation battle even more fascinating is that mathematically no team from the league is safe from going down.

At this stage of the competition every point counts and clubs that are keen on playing in the topflight next season cannot afford to drop any if they are to survive.

Chicken Inn, How Mine and Bantu Rovers, faced with a possibility of sinking into the unfashionable first division, have to up their game in the last eight rounds of matches and pick as many points as possible.

Second from the bottom Bantu Rovers with 17 points need a miracle to survive and this weekend they are involved in a derby with Chicken Inn who they beat in the first leg.

Chicken Inn are on position seven tied on 30 points with Buffaloes and go into the Tshintsha Guluva match smarting from a 1-3 defeat to Chapungu while their opponents had a morale boosting 0-0 draw with Caps United.

The Gamecocks gaffer Joey Antipas admitted feeling the heat and said they are hard-pressed for a victory.

“We’re sitting precariously on the table and we’re in a position that we don’t want to be. Look, we are mid table but the difference in terms of points is very minimal. We have to try and pick as many maximum points as possible.

“I think this year’s competition has been very tight and all the teams are giving their best that is why you find so many teams clustered in the drop zone. What we have to do is try and win our games and concentrate on what we can do rather than rely on other teams to do the work for us. Bantu Rovers might be down but they are certainly not pushovers,” said Antipas.

Chicken Inn, on paper, have a stronger squad than Bantu Rovers and it remains to be seen whether they will be able to be tactically superior to their opponents.

Former Highlanders striker Mkhokheli Dube who once plied his trade in America and South Africa, Ramson Zhuwawo, Passmore Bernard, skipper Danny “Deco” Phiri, Clemence Matawu, Brian Mbiriri and Thabani Goredema are some of their seasoned players.

They will have to contend with the likes of veteran defender Hebert Dick, Zephaniah Ngodzo, Obadiah Tarumbwa and Nqobizitha Masuku who are Bantu Rovers’ most experienced players.

With Methembe Ndlovu out of the country, new head coach Mandla Mpofu is upbeat about the new challenge.

“Like we have said before, it’s only a matter of time before we get our break. It’s not over till the last whistle of the season and we intend to fight to the end. Actually we have nothing to lose so the teams who we play will be under pressure as they will be pressed for a win and we intend to pounce on them once they open up.

“As for the game against Chicken Inn, we can’t rely on history but it would be great if we complete a double,” said Mpofu.

How Mine are just a place above the drop zone and after their 1-3 defeat to Highlanders in the Chibuku Super Cup last Sunday coach Luke Masomere was of the view that being booted out of the competition gives him time to concentrate on their survival fight.

“What is important is to take each game as it comes. I am sticking to my story that is I’m building for next season so that we compete with the best for the championship. However, even if we’re building we still have to get positive results. I think the positive thing right now is that we don’t have to worry about other competitions as we’ll be concentrating on league matches,” said Masomere.

How Mine have a tricky away tie to Caps United who have proved to be hard to beat in Harare.

What makes the gold miners’ encounter even more intriguing is that Caps United are within the reach of the title and they will want to close in on Dynamos who are on 42 points, four ahead of Makepekepe.

The rocky dressing at Caps United might work against them though.

Fixtures

Saturday: Chicken Inn v Bantu Rovers (Hartsfield), FC Platinum v Dynamos (Mandava), Harare City v Highlanders (Rufaro), Chiredzi v Shabanie Mine (Chishamiso)

Sunday: Caps United v How Mine (Rufaro), Buffaloes v Triangle United (Sakubva), Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery), ZPC Kariba v Black Rhinos (TBA)