Source: Big weekend in PSL –Newsday Zimbabwe
THIS will certainly be a Super Saturday and a Super Sunday in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, the intriguing stuff that defines this competitive league.
The small mining town of Shamva hogs the limelight as title-chasing and table-toppers Simba Bhora host party poopers of the season, Caps United
Even if Caps United winning will be of little consequence to themselves, it brings huge repercussions on Simba Bhora’s quest for the title.
After the Shamva show, roads lead to Rufaro Stadium, where Norman Mapeza leads his troops for a date against Dynamos.
Like Caps, Dynamos too have slipped out of the title matrix, but not that they will let off.
They are likely to play as if life depends on this match.
Simba Bhora are still a healthy six points ahead of FC Platinum, yet there is still a sense of discomfort.
One match can change everything.
The two coaches, Tonderai Ndiraya of Simba Bhora and Mapeza are in the pressure cooker.
Non affords to blink. Attention to detail will be key. There is no room for error and this sets up what should be a memorable weekend of topflight league football.
Mapeza has questioned why at this stage of the season the two title-chasing teams are kicking off at different times.
If Simba Bhora win today, it exerts more pressure on FC Platinum tomorrow and this is why Mapeza is rightly concerned.
“We are going into a difficult phase of the season, especially for us in terms of our objectives. We are going to play a very big team, Dynamos and their history, no matter their position, they are always difficult. After winning their Chibuku semi-final against Manica Diamonds, their morale is going to be high,” Mapeza said in his weekly Press conference.
“For us, we take each game as it comes, we don’t have to put ourselves under pressure because of our position.
“We are coming to the final matches of the season. My wish was for PSL to just all the games or maybe ours and Simba’s games on the same day.
“If it means Simba is playing on Saturday, we’ll also play on Saturday and those teams fighting relegation, I think they also need to play on the same day because it’s going to be tricky playing on different days.
“That’s my wish. But the fixture is out, we have to follow what they told us to do.”
He is enjoying some good news though as his selection options improved following a break last weekend as they were not involved in the Chibuku Super Cup.
“We had some players with injuries, so they got some time to recover. My only fear is that since we are playing on a Sunday, let our games and Simba be played on the same day on Saturday.
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