JOHANNESBURG - Zimbabwe has the bulk of its foreign legion plying their trade in neighbouring South Africas ABSA Premiership. And with seven games remaining in the league race going into this weekend, most are involved in tooth-and-nail fights for their clubs. From Orlando Pirates Zvenyika Makonese seeking to get the first ever league championship medal of his career, to Oscar Machapa and his Moroka Swallows clutching at straws to try and survive the drop, Zimbabweans are in the thick of the action at both ends of the league table. But that is not where their battles end, as others, like Warriors goalkeeper, Tapuwa Kapini and his Platinum Stars, are fighting for a top eight finish.
Makonese, out-of-favour with Dutch coach, Rudi Krol, but still eligible for selection at the Buccaneers ship, looks set to achieve with Pirates what he failed to accomplish with Shabanie Mine in his homeland and with Santos in South Africa the championship medal.
Pirates, on fire and without a loss since the beginning of the year, led the log standings going into this weekends matches, with 49 points from 23 matches and look set to clinch their first ever championship medal in a decade, their last having come under Roy Barretto in the 2000/01 season.
Having recovered from a somewhat lethargic start to the current campaign, Pirates have been on a roll lately, with their fans already declaring that the Happy People will be smiling their way to the podium, come end of the season. However, strongly against such a statement is the Ajax Cape Town trio of Wilfred Mugeyi, Khama Billiart and Tafadzwa Rusike, whose team lies three points behind the Soweto giants, the Chiefs quartet of Thomas Sweswe, Tinashe Nengomasha, Zhaimu Jambo and Knowledge Musona, who are four points off their biggest rivals.
Both teams and their multitudes of passionate supporters, though they admit that Pirates are ahead of them, will still vehemently argue that the Bucs are not yet out of sight.
High-riding Ajax, also shouting for recognition in the league race and with former Warriors striker, Mugeyi as their assistant coach, dented their hopes with a 2-0 mid-week loss to Bidvest Wits, which saw them drop off their joint leadership with Pirates, but still believe that they can claw their way back when they meet the leaders in Cape Town in the next few matches.
While Rusike has been used sparingly by the Urban Warriors, regular Billiart has already scored five goals in the league race, with a performance average rating of 6/10 and several goal assists that have turned the former Caps United star into a talisman.
All four Zimbabweans in the Chiefs ranks have had important roles to play for their team Musona leading the leagues scoring charts with 11 goals so far this season, while Jambo will be remembered fro his stunner against Amazulu early in the year. Nengomasha, the most seasoned of them all, is always at hand to boss the midfield, while central defender Sweswe is the rock that the Chiefs backline is built on.
A further point down the ladder, defensive midfielder, former Warriors striker, Ian Gorowa, is leading another Zimbabwean quartet in a Mamelodi Sundowns team that is being captained by another Warrior – Esrom Nyandoro.
Utility player, Method Mwanjali, regularly used as a right back and having scored a goal so far in the league campaign and free-scoring striker, Nyasha Mushekwi, are key members of the Brazilians quest for the championship.
Mushekwi, though currently injured, is just two goals behind his Warriors strike partner, Musona and looks set to unseat his countryman for the Golden Boot Award. Also lying in the sidelines, but in the same team is defensive midfielder, Lionel Mtizwa.
Gorowa, recently elevated to the hot seat at the Brazilians, after the unceremonious departure of Spaniard, Antonio Lopez Habas about four weeks ago, reckons his side is still in with a chance.
“You have to give yourself a chance and we surely cannot give up at this stage. We are only six points from the top and anything can happen during the next 10 games,” said the former Dynamos striker recently.
“If we keep consistency during our next games, then we can do it. We have lost to other title contenders, but I still think it is very important to know that there are 14 other teams in the league and not only two. We still have to play Chiefs at home and I think if we can be consistent winning the other games, who knows what will happen.
Energy Murambadoro and his Bidvest Wits teammates who on 32 points are mathematically out of the league race, are now fighting for the prestigious top eight finish and have to contend with, among others, Kingston Nkathas Free State Stars, who are eighth on 29 points and Archieford Zhuwawos Amazulu, who lie ninth with 27 points.
Tapuwa Kapini and his Platinum Stars teammate, Terrence Mandaza are placed 12th and with 26 points, are still in the top eight race.
At 18 points, the automatic drop zone lies seven points below Machapa and his Moroka Swallows, who are currently on a play-offs landmine and are picking-up points far and wide of each other.
With the race getting even tighter by the day, Zimbabweans are in for a heated fight be it for supremacy, survival or respectability.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News