SHABANIE MINE coach Jairos Tapera is positive of playing in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) next season despite wallowing in the relegation zone and facing a daunting task away to leaders Dynamos this Sunday.
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Dynamos are eyeing a fourth successive title.
Tapera has been in charge for two matches since taking over from John Phiri, beating Hwange 2-0 at Maglas and falling to troubled Chiredzi 1-0, and the former asbestos miners are sitting on position 14 with 26 points, needing 10 from the remaining 21 points on offer to survive.
“We are trying hard. What we need to do is to keep on winning. We have a difficult assignment against Dynamos, whom we held 0-0 at home in May, but these are the games and we need to compete. I am hopeful that we will survive and we will be playing in the PSL next season,” Tapera said.
After Dynamos, Shabanie are at home to Chapungu before travelling to Bulawayo for equally-troubled Bantu Rovers. These two games against Chapungu and Bantu are must-wins.
They then host How Mine before Black Rhinos away, Highlanders at home and hit the road to Gibbo for Triangle for their last assignment in their quest to survive the chop.
Bantu Rovers, who have had a poor show since returning to the PSL this season have only picked up 17 points and sit on position 15 on the table.
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They face Hwange in their next assignment at Hartsfield Stadium and coach Mandla Mpofu said mathematically it’s still possible to survive.
“Mathematically, we can still survive. What is important for us now is to win against Hwange and it will be a confidence booster. If we win this one then we have to fight on. We are in danger, but the onus is on us and no one can do it for us. We made our mistakes and failed to get the points from the start but we have to fight on,” Mpofu said.
Hwange thrashed Chapungu 4-1 at the Colliery on Sunday and are looking at a top four finish after surviving relegation by a whisker last season.
He is in charge in the absence of Methembe Ndlovu, who is out of the country. After Hwange, Bantu Rovers date Chicken Inn and then Shabanie at Hartsfield before two away ties to Chapungu and Dynamos. They return home for How Mine before making it off to Kadoma for Black Rhinos.
