eBusiness Weekly
Chipo Sabeta
Four teams will go down to Division One as the Castle Lager Premier League’s relegation matrix takes shape.
While the rich clubs at the top of the Premier League pull free, the have-nots are already starting to resemble hideous extras from The Walking Dead.
As it stands in the local top-flight, Bulawayo City, Shabanie Mine and Mutare City Rovers, have already been relegated as they have managed 26, 22 and 19 points from 31 games respectively.
There are four ZIFA regions, Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern, which account for more than 64 teams competing directly for four places — in the current status quo — in the PSL.
As the Castle Lager Premier League season enters final stretch one more team could find the ground turn into swamp as the relegation battle heats up.
Nichrut FC and Chapungu are in particular danger.
And that fourth team will be determined by this weekend’s results.
Of course, there are two matches to play and plenty of changes to come but realistically, Nichrut are in the very thick of things.
The Shurugwi-based outfit gained promotion into the Premier Soccer League last year after winning the Central Region Division One title.
The club becomes the first team from the small, scenic chrome-mining town to play in the top flight but might not last beyond the current season.
Chances are that if Nichrut loses its remaining games it will be playing Division One football next season.
“Everybody is writing us off but we are not and we won’t go down easily,” insists coach Michael Ngore.
“We will try our utmost to get something out of our remaining game but clearly when you are in this situation, you want to be
able to work hard and win all matches, hoping also on Chapungu failure.”
Chapungu FC are precariously sitting on 14th position on the PSL table with 37, just four points above Nichrut, who currently occupy the last relegation slot.
On the other hand, money is talking at the top of the table at the “haves” pull clear . . . already the competition’s class system is taking shape.
Realistically, the local football environment has changed with clubs like FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum and Chicken Inn dictating the pace in the top flight league.
Meanwhile, with two games before the close of the ZIFA Southern Region season, Hwange are the winners after a 1-0 win against closest rivals Tsholotsho.
Hwange become the third team to get promoted into the top flight league after Manica Diamonds and TelOne FC, which clinched the Eastern and Central Region Division One Championship last month, respectively.
The other slot is reserved for the Northern Region where log leaders Mushowani Stars look set to join in the party very soon.
