Hwange one leg in Division One Castle Lager Premier Soccer League

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

COAL MINERS Hwange now have one leg in Division One after losing 3-2 to Triangle United in a rearranged Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Gibbo Stadium on Sunday.

A brace by Collins Dhuwa and a strike by Soccer Star of the Year finalist Ralph Kawondera enabled Triangle to bag maximum points, while Hwange scored through Alton Ndlovu and Nomore Chinyerere.

The defeat left the coal miners, who fired coach Nation Dube in the build-up to the weekend game, needing divine intervention to survive the PSL axe, as they remain stuck second from bottom on the 18-team table with 33 points from 32 games, with two games left before the season ends.

With Mushowani Stars already relegated, Hwange are likely to become the second team to be axed after the next round of games should they lose to survival fighters TelOne in their next game.

Hwange can only end the season with 39 points, and for them to survive the chop, they have to pray that Yadah, who are on 35 points, Harare City on 37 and Bulawayo Chiefs, who are tied on 38 points with Herentals, lose their next two games while they win against TelOne and ZPC Kariba on the last day of the season.

After the elimination of Mushowani, chances of Hwange joining them in the unfashionable Division One league now look high. 

Yadah, Harare City, Bulawayo Chiefs, Herentals, TelOne and Chapungu are also fighting relegation.

Chapungu and TelOne need at least five points in their last two games to survive. Chapungu will play their last two games against Manica Diamonds and Highlanders, while TelOne can seal the fate of Hwange in Gweru before travelling to Chicken Inn for their final match of the season. 

Harare City, who occupy the last relegation spot, are on 37 points and should they win their last two games, they will take their points’ tally to 43. Harare City were relegated from the Premiership in 2017 only to bounce back at the beginning of 2018 following the collapse of How Mine FC. They’re now left with tricky games against Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Third from the bottom Yadah will hope to extend their dramatic survival battle by claiming the scalps of Triangle and Mushowani, while Herentals’ road to safety involves clearing the inconsistent Chicken Inn hurdle and the decider against Bulawayo Chiefs on the final day.

Chiefs, bubbling with confidence after stunning Chicken Inn 3-1 in their previous encounter, are targeting Highlanders as their next victims. Victory over Bosso, who Chiefs hope will still be “drunk” from the Chibuku Super Cup success, will enhance their survival chances.

Table

  P W D L F A GD Pts

Caps United 32 17 8 7 51 38 13 58

FC Platinum 32 15 11 6 32 15 17 56

Chicken Inn 32 15 8 9 43 26 17 53

ZPC Kariba 32 12 10 10 28 28 0 46

Highlanders 32 10 15 7 28 23 5 45

Ngezi Platinum 32 11 12 9 25 21 4 45

Dynamos 32 9 17 6 27 24 3 44

Black Rhinos 32 11 11 10 26 28 -2 44

Triangle United 32 12 7 13 43 42 1 43

Manic 32 10 11 11 32 33 -1 41

Chapungu 32 9 12 10 30 29 1 39

TelOne 32 8 15 9 30 30 0 39

Herentals 32 7 17 8 30 32 -2 38

Byo Chiefs 32 10 8 14 32 43 -11 38

Harare City 32 10 7 15 32 38 -6 37

Yadah 32 8 11 13 30 44 -14 35

Hwange 32 7 12 13 27 39 -12 33

Mushowani 32 7 9 16 32 45 -13 30

— @ZililoR

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