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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE pressure is getting to a boiling point as the World Navi Northern Region Division One soccer league draws to a close with four teams fighting for the sole ticket to the Premiership next year.
From the look of things on the log table, the championship race has become unpredictable with three of the teams separated by just three points.

Log leaders Flame Lilly have 61 points and second-placed Gunners have 60 points. Third placed Mushowani have so far amassed 58 points.
Bindura United are a distant fourth with 52 points, but are still entertaining their hopes of contesting for the title.

With just five matches to go before the season ends, each team is praying that they win all their remaining games and in some instances hoping the other three drop points.

Log leaders Flame Lilly have tricky assignments in their last five matches as they face DStv Rangers, Commando Bullets, Lake Harvest, Starbill and ZRP Football Club needing to collect as many points as they can to maintain the pole position.

But it is not going to be a stroll in the park with most of these teams currently doing well.
The prison officers’ coach, Nesbert “Yabo” Saruchera, said he is not worried about the other teams gunning for the title, but is more concerned about how his team.

“Our remaining fixtures are not easy at all. As I have said before, there are no easy games in Division One but we are going to fight.
“Everyone wants to beat us as the log leaders, but we are going to fight hard. We have to play our own games and collect maximum points.

Since we are on top we are not worried about other teams, we just want to collect maximum points and maybe that one point will take us far.

“If we slip up they (the other teams that are gunning for the title) can take over, but we are going to make sure that we don’t slip up,” said Saruchera.

The seasoned campaigners’ coach believes they are in a better position to get the much-awaited promotion.
“We work very hard at training and we are prepared to get to the Promised Land,” said Saruchera.

On the other hand, Gunners are also eager to return to the top-flight league and they have everything to play for with just a point behind Flame Lilly.

Gunners coach, Kudakwashe Masaraure, has declared war on their opponents. The former Premiership champions will take on Starbill, ZRP Football Club, DC Academy, Ngezi Platinum and Bindura.

“I believe that we can win those five games in order for us to be promoted. When we started we wanted to build a strong team, but when we played we saw the opportunity (of getting promoted), even now that opportunity is still there,” said Masaraure.

Gunners lost just one match in the first round against Bindura in their first assignment of the season and won most of their remaining games. But for the second half it appears the competition has become tougher and they have lost two games so far.

They have conceded 14 goals and their rivals, Flame Lilly, are proving to have a better defence as they have only let in nine goals.
Masaraure admitted that most of the teams have improved but added that they are on a mission which they want to be successfully accomplished.

“It’s true all teams are playing good football, but we have a mission, we want to be promoted. We are not worried how other teams are playing. Out of the 15 points, if we can collect 12, we can get in.

“We lost to Bindura and after that I think we then lost on week 27 fixture, so I believe we can still do it. My main worry is not on the pitch because my guys will deliver, but on the referees. Like last week we won but the referee was a disaster.

“We appeal to the referees to apply Fair Play and let the best team get the promotion not those with money,” said Masaraure.
Mushowani at some point lost the plot as their campaign went off the rails and appeared to be out of contention, but they revived their hopes in the championship race in the past weeks and any mistakes by the top two teams will be an advantage to them.

“Our chances are still there because only one game is separating the three teams. All we need is to win all our games. If they lose one game, both Gunners and Flame Lilly, basically we are on top. We just need to win our five games and see what happens at the end of the season,” said Mushowani coach Paul “Popopo” Chimalizeni.

In their last five matches Mushowani will face Blue Swallows, DStv Rangers, Commando Bullets, Lake Harvest and Starbill.
For Bindura United winning the league will be a bonus says their coach, John Wilo as they have a tough task in their last five games against Chegutu Pirates, Twalumba, Seven Flames, Royal Classic and Gunners. Chegutu, Twalumba and Royal Classic are fighting relegation and Wilo said it is those small teams that always give them a difficult time when ever they meet.

“So far so good, according to us we have played well this season. Winning the championship is a bonus, what we want is to finish on a respectable position.

“According to the statistics, we have not lost to any of the big teams and looking at the fixtures we are left with small stubborn teams that are trying to avoid relegation,” said Wilo.

It seems all the four teams will have to be a bit patient and take each game as it comes because at the moment there is no team guaranteed of winning the title.