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Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
RELEGATION candidates Buffaloes want to upstage outgoing champions Dynamos at Sakubva tomorrow in their last chance to avoid relegation. Buffaloes need an outright victory to enhance their chances of surviving the chop when the season concludes this weekend. Newboys Dongo Sawmill, WhaWha and Flame Lily have already fallen by the wayside.

The Mutare outfit are occupying the last relegation slot going into the last round matches and their fate is no longer in their hands. However, they still have realistic chances of staying afloat but only on condition that they beat Dynamos and then hope their rivals in the survival dogfight, Tsholotsho, slip up against Harare City at White City.

Buffaloes’ assistant coach Joseph Takaringofa, yesterday said this is the most important game for their team this season and are looking to give it their best fight. “We all know the importance of this match. It’s a game which our players don’t need to be told what to do. They don’t need any special motivation but to play for their own survival.

“Everyone knows what is at the stake. They know what is expected. “So I’m saying we have to forget about all our problems.

“We need to concentrate on this game. If you look at this season, financial challenges were the major undoing but I’m thankful to these boys. They have shown that they have the love of the game at heart. The guys have been playing well in recent matches and we hope to turn around that performance into results,” said Takaringofa.

With 29 points in the bag and one behind Tsholotsho, Buffaloes complicated their situation last week when they gave away an early lead at Triangle to lose the match 2-1. They only managed to stay in the mix because Tsholotsho were also losing by the same margin against Highlanders. Yet their scenario remains complex because a win by Tsholotsho over Harare City tomorrow will only confirm their demotion even if they are also to claim maximum points from Dynamos.

Their opponents Dynamos warmed up to the final match of the season with a 5-2 win over Blue Swallows in a practice match at Manyame yesterday. The Harare giants were dethroned by Chicken Inn last week despite winning 2-0 against Chapungu. The Glamour Boys team manager Richard Chihoro yesterday said they don’t view tomorrow’s match as a dead rubber.

“It doesn’t matter we are now out of the race for the championship. Our philosophy as Dynamos is that we should win every game that we play. So, on Saturday, we are expecting nothing different. Remember we are still in the running for the NetOne Easycall Cup and it’s important to maintain the winning mentality among the players. We need that win to boost our confidence ahead of the semi-final clash with Highlanders.”

The Harare giants are also aiming to finish in second place. They are currently third on the log standings, tied on 54 points with second-placed FC Platinum who face Dongo at Vengere tomorrow. Champions Chicken Inn will be playing for fun when they come to Harare for a date against Flame Lily.

Joey Antipas’ men are set to be presented with the trophy tomorrow.