By Onny Gangata
THE battle for survival from relegation in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League is slowly narrowing down to a few teams.
A couple of weeks before, a dozen teams appeared to be in danger of the dreaded chop.
But with five matches before the season ends, the battle has narrowed down to seven teams.
Bottom placed Cranborne Bullets are sure to go down, Black Rhinos, Yadah, Sheasham, Triangle,ZPC Kariba and Green Fuel are the other sides in the relegation matrix.
Any three of the aforementioned sides are sure to join the army side who anchor the log standings with 23 points.
It is generally believed that 39 points are enough to guarantee safety.
Black Rhinos, who are 17th have 28 points and need 11 points to reach the 39 point mark.
The trio of Yadah, Sheasham and Triangle are all tied on 31 points and only separated by goal difference with all the sides eight points shy of the magical mark.
ZPC Kariba are six points off the presumed safety points tally while Green Fuel are on 35 points.
“We are not yet out, we will regroup and plan for our next match against Yadah, I can assure the multitudes of our supporters we will not be relegated,” Luke Masomere, the ZPC Kariba coach boldly declared after his side’s 1-0 loss to Dynamos on Sunday.
Before Masomere can dream of top flight football next season,his side will have to navigate past Yadah(Away),Hwange(Home), Sheasham(Away),Simba Bhora(Home)and Cranborne Bullets.
In their past five league matches, Kauya Katuruturu have managed six out of a possible 15 points.
Premiership debutants, Sheasham have the worst form guide in the last five matches with five points, same as Cranborne Bullets and a point better than Bulawayo Chiefs.
Bosso have the worst form guide in the last five games with three points.
The construction boys will need to up their game to preserve their premiership status.They welcome Manica Diamonds next before travelling to title chasing Ngezi Platinum Stars.
A relegation six pointer against ZPC Kariba will follow next at Bata stadium before they clash with Black Rhinos at the same venue with the visit of FC Platinum concluding their season.
There is a ray of hope for the Gweru side in that four of their last five league matches will be played at Bata stadium and that should work in their advantage.
For army side Black Rhinos their assignment is clear: win the remaining matches and survive.
Saul Chaminuka the Rhinos mentor is cognizant of that.
“We have to play and survive relegation and we have to win our remaining matches,” he recently said.
But form does seem to favour Chauya Chipembere as they have the best form card in the last five matches with eight points.
Yadah Stars have what on paper appear to be the toughest run of fixtures.
A home tie against ZPC Kariba,a visit to Black Rhinos before hosting FC Platinum, an away trip to 2015 league champions Chicken Inn before facing Dynamos.
Only a miracle can save the miracle boys whose form card is a seven point haul in the last five matches.
Lowveld side, Triangle will need to be at their best to better the six points they collected in the last five matches.
An away trip to Cranborne before hosting Highlanders and then travelling to face Bulawayo Chiefs followed by a home match against resurgent CAPS United and then visiting Green Fuel, is what stands between the sugar sugar boys and safety.
Triangle coach Thulani Sibanda will have to evoke the most of his tactical nous to emerge from this battle unscathed.
Green Fuel are the closest to safety of all the teams in the relegation zone.
Bulawayo Chiefs will constantly need to look over their shoulders but it is from the bottom seven that most likely the relegation four are going to be plucked from.
