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CELEBRATION TIME . . . Norest Mkwezaramba

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
ZPC Kariba and Dynamos have vowed to fight to the end in what should be a thrilling ending to the Castle Lager Premiership title race.
Three rounds of matches remain in the season, with a potential decider looming in the penultimate round, when the two top teams clash.
DeMbare, the defending champions, remained on course after maintaining their three-point cushion on Wednesday courtesy of a 5-3 win over Harare City.

ZPC Kariba kept up the pressure when they beat Moses Chunga’s Buffaloes 3-1 at Gwanzura.

DeMbare coach Callisto Pasuwa, who is on the verge of becoming the first coach to win four consecutive domestic league titles, says his side needed to keep “cool heads.”

They play Bantu Rovers this weekend, ZPC Kariba in their next match and then round off with another tricky tie at home against How Mine.

Crucially, Pasuwa’s men will be assured of the big crowds as they play all the remaining games in Harare.

“We have to take the game against Bantu seriously. It’s how we look at these teams which counts most. I think everybody in the house should also take these games seriously,” said Pasuwa.

“Remember what happened in our last match (against Chapungu), you could see that the first 45 minutes we thought it was going to be easy for us to win but we couldn’t beat them.

“We are saying every game that comes we should take it seriously, it doesn’t matter it’s a team which has been relegated already.”

DeMbare conceded three goals in their last match after a poor show by ‘keeper Artwell Mukandi.

“It was like every time they were hitting the ball at our goal it was going into the nets. He is a boy who was coming from injury, and I think we have to look at him whether he is fully fit and we still have to talk to the doctors,” said Pasuwa.

“But all I can say is we are scoring goals. We haven’t been scoring goals, we have been getting one or two but then we got five.

“I think maybe we need to work more. It’s a good result for the Dynamos family though. I think if we keep our heads cool we will get there.”

ZPC Kariba will be involved in another big test against Harare City at Rufaro tomorrow.

The newboys will finish round off their campaign against giants Dynamos and CAPS United in that order.

“Like I said before, we need just one game to confirm our qualifying for the Mbada Diamonds Cup,” said their coach Saul Chaminuka.

“And if we have planned well, the Harare City game should be top priority because we cannot gamble with the game that comes afterwards.

“We need to play and win that game.

“Harare City are wounded, yes, and they are in trouble. They can also be relegated and I know how difficult the game will be. I think we should be able to contain them.

“I will do my best in terms of planning.”

Fixtures
Saturday
Harare City v ZPC Kariba (Rufaro), FC Platinum v Chicken Inn (Mandava)

Sunday
How Mine v Chapungu (Mandava), Buffaloes v Caps United (Sakubva), Triangle v Hwange (Gibbo), Dynamos v Bantu Rovers (Rufaro), Black Rhinos v Shabanie Mine (Rimuka)

Monday
Highlanders v Chiredzi (Hartsfield)