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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE SURVIVAL battle in the Castle Lager Premiership continues, with Bulawayo Chiefs and Hwange coaches saying the side with more vigour will walk away with maximum points in their clash at Luveve Stadium tomorrow.

The two teams are among the bottom eight sides, which include Yadah, Mushowani Stars, Herentals, TelOne, Harare City and Triangle United.

Chiefs and Hwange clash soon after they registered identical morale-boosting 1-0 wins over FC Platinum and Mushowani Stars respectively.

Chiefs lost the first-leg 1-0 at the Colliery Stadium.

With 34 points from 29 games, Chiefs are two points above the last relegation slot occupied by Herentals, who are tied on 29 points with third from the bottom Hwange.

Thulani Sibanda, the Chiefs coach, predicted a tough encounter against the coal miners. “Being a clash of relegation threatened sides makes it a tough encounter because we’re all in danger of dropping. A draw will not be good enough for all of us, meaning one team has to win,” said Sibanda.

“We’re going to fight, but Hwange in terms of game management are good because of the experience they have in their squad. What will be key for us is to unlock their tactics earlier, because if we fail to do so in the first half then we are doomed,” he said.

A victory for Chiefs will take their points tally to 37.

Sibanda hopes his side builds on the 1-0 win against defending champions FC Platinum. 

Dube reported a clean health bill in his Hwange camp.

“Everyone is available for selection. The boys are ready and know what’s expected of them. It’s going to be a difficult game because they want it and we also do. I think the side that will be hungrier for success will get the points,” said Dube.

On Hwange’s chances of survival, Dube said: “Our destiny is in our hands. We have matches that we have to win against teams we’re competing with. We have to win our games and not worry about what happens elsewhere.”

Castle Lager PSL fixtures

Today: Bulawayo Chiefs vs Hwange (Luveve), Mushowani Stars vs Chicken Inn (Trojan), Harare City vs TelOne (Rufaro), Chapungu vs Dynamos (Ascot), Manica Diamonds vs FC Platinum (Vengere), Triangle United vs Herentals (Gibbo), Black Rhinos vs Yadah (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders vs Ngezi Platinum Stars (Barbourfields Stadium)

Tomorrow: Caps United v ZPC Kariba (Rufaro)

Table

  P W D L F A GD Pts

Caps United 29 15 7 7 46 35 11 51

Chicken Inn 29 14 7 8 40 23 17 49

FC Platinum 29 13 10 6 29 15 14 49

ZPC Kariba 29 11 9 8 25 21 4 45

Ngezi Platinum 29 11 9 9 24 20 4 42

Black Rhinos 29 11 9 9 26 27 -1 42

Highlanders 29 9 13 7 26 22 4 40

Dynamos 29 8 16 5 25 22 4 40

Chapungu 29 9 11 8 29 26 3 38

Manica 29 9 11 9 31 30 1 38

Triangle United 28 10 6 12 36 37 -1 36

Harare City 29 10 5 14 28 32 -6 35

Byo Chiefs 29 9 7 13 29 41 -12 34

TelOne 29 6 14 9 23 28 -5 32

Herentals 29 5 16 8 24 29 -5 31

Hwange 28 7 10 11 23 32 -9 31

Mushowani 29 7 9 13 32 39 -7 30

Yadah 29 6 10 13 25 42 -17 28

– @ZililoR