NORTHERN Region Division One log leaders ZPC Kariba emerged the biggest winner from the weekend football fixtures after all the other title aspirants simply connived to drop points.
HENRY MHARA
The Kariba-based team beat basement Forrester 2-0 at home in Chaminuka to open a four-point lead at the top of the table with nine games remaining in the second-tier division.
Raphael Manunure and Patrick Nhamo scored the two goals to help ZPC peel away in the race for the championship which comes with it an automatic entry to Premiership football next season.
The log leaders are now on 47 points while their nearest rivals Twalumba have 43, but the club’s secretary general Biggie Kwiyeri remains cautious.
“The signs are beginning to show, but it will be still early for us to celebrate. It’s still a long way before the season ends and we have to keep on fighting. We are now at a very difficult stage of the season where every team is fighting. Some are fighting for the title and some are fighting for their dear life so it’s a very dangerous stage and it calls for total concentration and focus from the boys,” said Kwiyeri.
Twalumba dropped two points when they were held to a one-all draw at home by JMC who are second from the bottom.
Third-placed Flame Lily, five points adrift of the log leaders, also dropped points after a goalless draw at home to DC Academy and it was even worse for fourth-placed Mushowani Stars (41 points) who were beaten 2-0 at home by Commando.
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With 27 points still to play for, Twalumba, Flame Lily and Mushowani still have a big chance, but these teams should get worried when they drop points to lowly sides like JMC, especially at this stage of the season.
Chegutu Pirates kept their slim hopes of winning the title alive when beating Lake Harvest 2-0 to maintain their nine-point difference against ZPC Kariba.
Former Premiership sides Gunners and Blue Rangers also met over the weekend, with the former winning the tie 2-1 although it’s very unlikely that both teams will bounce back into the top-flight league next season.
Gunners are 13 points behind the log leaders while Rangers are five points above Starbill, the team occupying the relegation cut-off point.
