So, it all comes down to this. An exciting race to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) title which began on March 27 will come down to a Sunday afternoon showdown at Mandava Stadium.
So much has happened between March and now, but the race to the league has narrowed to two teams — FC Platinum and Dynamos.
Such has been the intensity of the fight that the two leading teams are separated by just three points with two games to go before the season reaches its business end.
FC Platinum’s hard-fought two-nil win over Monomotapa on Wednesday saw their points tally moving to 55, but Dynamos maintained pressure on the log leaders with a similar win over outgoing league champions Motor Action across town at Rufaro.
The two results set what promises to be a yummy stage for Sunday’s epic battle between the two teams at Mandava when the destiny of the championship could be decided.
With a three-point gap before kick-off, the Moneybags will need three points from that game to reach an unassailable 58 points, and thus the league debutants will be crowned champions on home soil. How sweet that could be.
Dynamos on the other hand, have put together an incredible league run in recent weeks and know that if they can win on Sunday they will go on top of the table because of their superior two-goal advantage.
Such a scenario will leave the title to be decided on the last day of the season when Dynamos host Kiglon while FC Platinum will travel to relegation-threatened Shooting Stars.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
A lot has been said ahead of the Sunday match, but the major issue will be the attitude and approach of both teams.
Whereas Dynamos will come after their opponents because they have to, FC Platinum may be caught between wanting a win and knowing that a draw will be just as acceptable.
A draw will see FC Platinum needing three points in their last match to be sure, but that route could be dangerous as it creates a sense of nervousness in the team ahead of the last round of matches.
Dynamos will obviously be looking to get on the front foot from the start, piling forward in attack and trying to snatch an early goal to unsettle the hosts.
FC Platinum, on the other hand, are likely to try to soak up the early pressure and hit the opponent on the counter.
Will FC Platinum keep their composure and get the much-needed three points or will Dynamos continue with their fairytale run and push the title fight to the wire? A draw would not do Dynamos any favours — they just need to win the match.
At the same time, history is beckoning in that the Midlands could finally have a league winner since only Harare and Bulawayo have shared the top prize in local football since independence.
