LOG Leaders Chicken Inn travel to Caps United expecting to strengthen their position as the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) reaches the halfway stage this weekend.
BY HENRY MHARA
The Bulawayo side has had a good start to the season, and together with second-placed Triangle, has been exchanging the top spot.
Their only blemish to the season so far could be last week’s fracas involving goalkeepers’ coach Julius Ndlovu, who allegedly assaulted Dongo’s medic Wurayayi Chiparange leading to the abandonment of the match on 60th minute. Chicken Inn were leading 1-0 at the time.
Both Ndlovu and Dongo are set to appear before the PSL disciplinary committee at a date to be announced.
Heading into the 15th round of matches, Chicken Inn has 29 points, two clear of Triangle, and waiting for their Dongo match determination.
Joey Antipas’ men have won nine matches, lost two and drawn two, a huge improvement from last season when they had accumulated 20 points at this stage of the season. On Sunday, they face a Caps United side that have been blowing hot and cold.
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The Harare giants drew their last two matches, both goalless draws against Flame Lilly and Harare City and will be looking at this fixture, Chicken Inn’s form aside, as an opportunity to return to winning ways.
Caps completed a back to back victory over Chicken Inn last season. Second placed Triangle seems to have regained their winning formula. After a run of three winless run, the Lowveld side arrested the slump by recording two wins against Tsholotsho and ZPC Kariba in the last two weeks.
On Sunday, they travel to Barbourfields to face Highlanders in coach Kelvin Kaindu’s homecoming match.
Kaindu was forced out of Highlanders last October and will be hard-pressed to beat his former bosses who will again be without striker Thomas Chideu who will be serving the last match of his suspension.
Champions Dynamos, on third spot with 26 points, are also on the road this weekend as they travel to the Colliery to face Hwange hoping to banish the memories of the past two seasons when this fixture yielded no point.
The David Mandigora’s side would travel with their spirits high after their 3-2 win over Highlanders last week while Hwange coach Nation Dube has two problems to deal with.
Dube will have to lift the spirits of his players after the loss at How Mine last week. More so, he will start the match without one of his regular defenders in veteran David Boriwondo who is out suspended.
How Mine on 25 points, could move to second position if they can beat Buffaloes and results elsewhere go in their favour.
At the other end of the bottom Dongo Sawmill (7 points) host Whawha in a relegation battle with both sides looking to get points. A win for the home side would not change much in terms of their position on the log as they will remain at the basement while Whawha, seated on the relegation cut-off point, could move out of the unwanted zone.
Second from the bottom Flame Lilly has a stern test against Harare City on Saturday while Tsholotsho, who completes the bottom four are in Kariba to face Sunday Chidzambwa’s ZPC Kariba.
Week 15 Player suspensions: Livingstone Genti (Whawha), Hardlife Mavundi (Triangle United), Gift Bello (FC Platinum), David Boriwondo (Hwange), Ocient Ncube (Tsholotsho) Blessing Zabula (Chapungu), Thomas Chideu (Highlanders)
Weekend fixtures: Saturday: ZPC Kariba v Tsholotsho (Nyamhunga), Flame Lily v Harare City (Lafarge), Chapungu v FC Platinum (Ascot). Sunday: Caps United v Chicken Inn (NSS), Dongo Sawmill v WhaWha (Vengere), Hwange v Dynamos (Colliery), Highlanders v Triangle (B/F), Buffaloes v How Mine (Sakubva).
