GREENFUEL coach Rodwell Dhlakama is confident that his team will avoid relegation in their debut season in the Castle Premier Soccer League.
The Ethanol Boys are gearing up for the final 11 matches after being reinvigorated by the homologation of GreenFuel Sports Arena last week.
Before the stadium was cleared to host league matches, the Chisumbanje-based club was shuttling to Gibbo in Triangle for their home matches.
GreenFuel were written off by many after picking just six points from their opening eight matches to sit bottom of the log standings, but have since proved they are no pushovers.
While they remain embroiled in the relegation matrix, Dhlakama says they are just a few wins away from safety.
“We are confident because we are required to win at least four games from the remaining 11, which will take us above the 40 points threshold to guarantee our safety. I think it’s achievable. We are going to secure our status. The competition is tough... there are no easy games, so given that scenario, we hope that other teams will also drop some points on the way and we take advantage of that,” Dhlakama said.
Following Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Ngezi Platinum Stars, GreenFuel sit ninth in the league with 29 points.
They are just five points above the relegation cut-off point.
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Dhlakama, whose side host Simba Bhora at GreenFuel Sports Arena this weekend, will be looking to make full use of the home advantage.
The promoted side celebrated the opening of their stadium by beating Sheasham 1-0 a fortnight ago, in their first topflight game at home and they are hoping to get positive results away from home as well.
“To win away from home you need to be very strong mentally and physically. We are trying our level best because we got this team in the middle of the season and we are still trying to work on certain elements of the game, but its one step at a time. We will eventually get there,” he said.
GreenFuel turned to Dhlakama eight games into the season when the team was rock bottom of the log standings and he has helped them rise.
Their run-in looks daunting, though, as their remaining games are clashes against teams either battling relegation or fighting for the league championship.
The Simba Bhora clash is followed by games against 12th placed ZPC Kariba (away) before hosting second from the bottom Cranborne Bullets. They then travel to basement side Black Rhinos.
It will get even tougher for them as games against Highlanders (home), FC Platinum (away), Chicken Inn (away) and Bulawayo Chiefs (home) follow.
They then play Harare giants Caps United (home) and Dynamos (away) in succession before hosting another relegation struggler Triangle to conclude their season.
