The Chronicle
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
VISITING ZPC Kariba FC can move out of relegation zone this afternoon should they collect maximum points against Bulawayo City, thanks to FC Platinum’s 2-0 win against Yadah at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Midfielder Brian Banda and striker Thando Ngwenya struck on either half as FC Platinum moved two places up the table to position three, leapfrogging Triangle United and Manica Diamonds who play their respective matches tomorrow.
FC Platinum took their points tally to 25 from 15 games, five behind leaders Dynamos.
They are tied on points with Triangle United who have an inferior goal difference and a point above Manica Diamonds.
Both championship dark horses are at home tomorrow, with Triangle United playing host to Cranborne Bullets at Gibbo Stadium while Manica Diamonds take on Black Rhinos at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare.
FC Platinum’s victory left Yadah who are a place above relegation with 14 points, but facing a risk of dropping into the drop zone should ZPC Kariba, on position 16 with 13 points, win their game at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
Should ZPC Kariba, under new coach Rodwell Dhlakama who is taking charge of the electricity generators for the second time after replacing fired Godfrey Tamirepi, drop points and 15th placed Tenax CS FC on 14 points fail to pick a point at Ngezi Platinum stars this afternoon, Yadah will stay out of the bottom four.
Dhlakama began his stint with a 1-0 win against Whawha, a result that gives ZPC Kariba confidence coming to City who are also on a high following a hard-fought 1-1 draw with leaders Dynamos in Harare.
Just like ZPC Kariba, City are under a new coach Farai Tawachera who believes a victory today will build his team’s confidence in their survival fight. “Last weekend’s result was a great start for us and credit to the boys for fighting hard.
We’re not safe and we need to direct all our energies towards getting positive results,” said Tawachera.
City anchor the table with seven points from 14 games.
They will pray that they shock ZPC Kariba, while Benjani Mwaruwari-coached Ngezi beats Tenax so that teams they are involved with in survival battle remain within touching distance.
A three-goal winning margin against Tenax will see Ngezi topple Manica Diamonds for a day with a superior goal difference.
Following last weekend’s 1-1 away draw at Black Rhinos, Mwaruwari wants his charges to bounce back to winning ways and move closer to the title chasing pack.
Meanwhile, second placed Chicken Inn visit Caps United who are on a two-match losing streak at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.
Caps United are smarting from a 2-0 defeat to Cranborne Bullets and a 3-0 loss to FC Platinum, while Chicken Inn have registered successive draws against Highlanders (1-1) and Herentals (0-0)
PSL Matchday 15 results and fixtures
Yesterday: Yadah 0-2 FC Platinum
Today: Ngezi Platinum Stars v Tenax CS FC (Baobab), Herentals v Bulawayo Chiefs (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo City v ZPC Kariba (Barbourfields Stadium), Whawha FC v Harare City (Ascot)
Tomorrow: Caps United v Chicken Inn (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders v Dynamos (Barbourfields Stadium), Manica Diamonds v Black Rhinos (Sakubva), Triangle United v Cranborne Bullets (Gibbo)
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Dynamos 14 9 3 2 17 6 11 30
Chicken Inn 14 8 4 2 19 11 8 28
*FC Platinum 14 7 4 3 18 7 11 25
Triangle Utd 14 7 4 3 18 11 7 25
M/ Diamonds 14 6 6 2 22 12 10 24
Ngezi Plat 14 5 6 3 16 8 8 21
Black Rhinos 14 5 6 3 18 14 4 21
Herentals 14 6 3 5 15 16 -1 21
Byo Chiefs 14 4 6 4 11 11 0 18
Caps United 14 4 5 5 17 19 -2 17
*Highlanders 13 3 7 3 15 10 5 16
Harare City 14 3 7 4 9 10 -1 16
C/ Bullets 14 4 4 6 14 18 -4 16
Yadah 14 3 6 5 10 13 -3 14
Tenax 14 3 5 6 14 25 -11 14
ZPC Kariba 14 3 4 7 8 14 -6 13
Whawha 14 2 2 10 13 32 -19 8
Bulawayo City 14 1 4 9 9 24 -15 7
*Game abandoned
Article Source: The Chronicle