FLAME Lily coach Nesbert Saruchera says his team can handle the pressure as they look to wrap up the World Navi Northern Region Division One title over the weekend, whose reward is top-flight league football next season.
HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
The Prison Services-owned side are 90 minutes away from the title, and travel to sixth-placed ZRP Football Club on Saturday knowing fully well that a draw would give them the title.
They currently hold the aces in the title race which has been narrowed to two teams, with second-placed Gunners, three points adrift going into final weekend.
The Nesbert Saruchera-coached side is on 73 points from 33 matches, compared to Gunners’ 70.
Flame Lily will win the title unless ZRP pull off an upset and beat the leaders at Morris Depot and Gunners beat fourth-placed Bindura United at Chipadze Stadium on the same day.
The leaders finished on second position last season, and consequently missed out on top-flight league promotion, but Saruchera reckons that they won’t let that chance slip again this time around.
“We can’t let this chance slip through our fingers,” said Saruchera yesterday.
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“We have worked so hard to be in the position we are and it would be a disaster if we fail to win the title. We are ready for the final match, which is like a cup final to us. We know a draw is enough to get us the title, but we want to finish in style. We want to win the match and everyone in our camp is ready to do that.”
He added: “We have been under pressure from the start of the season so the pressure we are feeling at the moment is nothing new. We have proved that we can handle it and we will definitely handle it on the day. I don’t have any injury worries in camp and the morale is very good. Everyone is raring to go and can’t wait to be crowned champions.”
Flame Lily dismissed Starbill 1-0 at their Chikurubi home last Sunday to all but clinch the title after Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw by Ngezi Platinum at Rufaro on the same day.
Kenny Marowa’s 36th minute goal was all Flame Lily needed to inch closer to the Promised Land.
Gunners still believe they have a chance to sneak on the title but they know they have to do it the hard way now.
The former Premier League champions will have to beat Bindura United away and hope that a result at Morris Depot goes their way.
However, Gunners have all but themselves to blame if they fail to win the title as they had a five point lead at the top of the log not so long ago, but a run of poor results saw their lead swallowed by Flame Lily who now stands on the brink of glory.
