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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship and survival races are providing fascinating thrills and spills with one giant hovering too close to the red zone.

FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars are the two sides fighting for the title, while all teams in the bottom half of the table are not mathematically safe from the chop.

Yadah, Bulawayo Chiefs, Chapungu, Dynamos, Nichrut, Mutare City, Shabanie Mine and Bulawayo City are all staring relegation and any of them could find themselves in the unfashionable Division One league next season if they don’t start collecting points.

Champions FC Platinum opened a five-point gap at the end of Match Day 27, thanks to a slip up by second-placed Ngezi Platinum, who suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Yadah.

FC Platinum went into their weekend match against Herentals enjoying a two-point lead over Ngezi Platinum and their 2-0 home win has given them what looks like a comfortable lead.

The gap opened by FC Platinum could be a turning point in their title defence if they avoid dropping points.

Inconsistencies by both platinum sides, especially when they play away from home, are likely to have a bearing on where the title lands. The two moneybags have a common problem of dropping points on the road and Ngezi Platinum again fell victim.

In the second half of the season, FC Platinum have dropped seven points from a possible 12 on the road.

The only team that FC Platinum have managed to beat on the road in the second half of the season away from home are table anchors Bulawayo City (1-0). The champions have played identical 1-1 draws against Yadah and Black Rhinos and lost 1-0 to Harare City.

FC Platinum’s remaining away games are against fourth-placed Triangle United, who have been solid and are capable of upsetting the champions. The two sides drew 0-0 in the reverse fixture in Zvishavane.

The log leaders will also face relegation-threatened Nichrut, Shabanie Mine and Highlanders away from home.

Ngezi Platinum have played six away games and managed to collect seven points.

They registered victories against Dynamos and Highlanders, and lost by identical 1-0 score lines to Herentals, Mutare City and Yadah, while drawing 1-1 with Chicken Inn.

Ngezi Platinum’s remaining away games are against Bulawayo City, Harare City and FC Platinum.

The clash against FC Platinum could turn out to be the title decider in the event the two sides get to the penultimate match of the season separated by a few points.

Relegation check
Only Nichrut, Dynamos, Chapungu, Bulawayo Chiefs and Yadah have a realistic chance of surviving the relegation axe.

Mutare City, Shabanie Mine and Bulawayo City are as good as gone and will need to pull massive shockers for them to survive.

Just four points separate Nichrut on 28 points and Yadah on position 11. Bulawayo Chiefs, Chapungu and former champions Dynamos are tied on 30 points, with the Harare giants just a place above the drop zone, and their 0-1 weekend loss to Harare City left them hanging on precariously.

The only advantage Dynamos have is that they have a game in hand, but that outstanding match is against rivals Caps United.

Nichrut and Chapungu drew 1-1 at the weekend, while Chiefs lost 0-1 to Triangle United.

Chiefs’ next game is against Dynamos in Harare, an encounter that both teams will be hard-pressed to win to ease relegation worries.

Chiefs’ other remaining games are at home to Nichrut, local derbies against Chicken Inn and Highlanders and Shabanie Mine. Their away games are against Ngezi Platinum and ZPC Kariba.

Dynamos are left with equally tough encounters against FC Platinum (away), Black Rhinos (home), Herentals, Triangle United and Mutare City (home) before ending the season with an away trip to Nichrut. – @ZililoR