Lizwe Sweswe
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
TSHOLOTSHO FC coach Lizwe Sweswe has dismissed claims that they have to depend on other teams to eliminate fellow relegation-threatened side Buffaloes for their survival.
The Zhwane Boys are 12th on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table and are tied on 26 points with Buffaloes, who are a place below.
Tsholotsho travel to Hwange this Sunday to face the coalminers who have proved hard to beat at home.
Even though they will be in Hwange, Tsholotsho’s interest will also be at Barbourfields Stadium where they will be hoping ailing Bulawayo giants Highlanders do them a favour by beating Buffaloes.
Bosso are 11th on the table and in dire need of victory to move up the ladder and possibly compete for a top eight finish. This means Buffaloes are in for a tough encounter at Emagumeni as a defeat against the Bulawayo giants will condemn them into the chop zone and aid Tsholotsho’s survival chances.
However, Sweswe is not concerned about the Highlanders-Buffaloes match, saying he is focused on winning his games.
“Relying on others to do the job for you is dangerous. What we simply need to do is control the controllable by winning our own games. Our focus now is on the Hwange game, which we know is a tricky one,” said Sweswe.
“We are going there with the intention of winning the match, but if we collect a point at the Colliery that will be good. We can’t afford to come out of matches empty-handed,” he said.
After the Hwange encounter, Tsholotsho will have more tough fixtures against Chicken Inn, Highlanders and Harare City, and Sweswe said they have to perform against these sides for them to remain in the PSL.
Tsholotsho can’t afford to stumble in any of their remaining fixtures and Sweswe is demanding maximum concentration from his charges.
He will need veterans Joel Luphahla, Siza Khoza and Danisa Phiri to summon all their experience and inspire youngsters that include right-back MacClive Phiri, central defender Thandolwenkosi Ncube, Simbarashe Gorogodyo, striker Lynnoth Chikuhwa and holding midfielder Butholezwe Ncube.
The Zhwane Boys should brace for a outing against a Hwange side that has had an impressive second half of the season.
Hwange coach Nation Dube has predicted a tough encounter.
“The last games of the season are tricky. I believe this will be an interesting game in the sense that both teams have all to play for, with us wanting a strong finish while they are fighting for survival,” said Dube.
The coalminers will pin their hopes on goalkeeper Tafadzwa Mawaya as well as veterans Gilbert Zulu, Gerald Ndlovu and Andrew Chuma.
Chipangano can also bank on Munyaradzi Mungadze, Rodwell Chinyengetere, Farayi Vimisayi and young Pritchard Mphelele to check their opponents.
Remaining PSL fixtures for relegation threatened teams
Highlanders: Buffaloes (home), Hwange (away), Tsholotsho FC (home), ZPC Kariba (home)
Tsholotsho FC: Hwange (away), Chicken Inn (home), Highlanders (away), Harare City (home)
Buffaloes: Highlanders (away), ZPC Kariba (home), Triangle United (away), Dynamos (home)
Whawha: Chicken Inn (home), Harare City (away), Flame Lily (home), Caps United (away)
Flame Lily: FC Platinum (home), How Mine (away), Whawha (away), Chicken Inn (home)
Dongo Sawmill: Triangle United (away), Dynamos (home), How Mine (away), FC Platinum (home)
Week 27 Fixtures
Saturday: How Mine v Flame Lily (Luveve), FC Platinum v Harare City (Mandava), ZPC Kariba v Chapungu (Nyamhunga), Whawha v Chicken Inn (Ascot Stadium, SuperSport, 1PM)
Sunday: Hwange v Tsholotsho FC (Colliery), Dynamos v Caps United (Rufaro, SuperSport, 3PM), Triangle United v Dongo Sawmill (Gibbo), Highlanders v Buffaloes (Barbourfields)
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Chicken Inn 26 16 5 5 38 19 19 53
FC Platinum 26 14 7 5 47 20 27 49
Dynamos 26 12 11 3 30 18 12 47
Triangle 26 10 9 7 37 22 15 39
Hwange 26 9 11 6 27 23 4 38
Caps United 26 9 11 6 21 20 1 38
Harare City 26 8 13 5 26 20 6 37
Chapungu 26 9 9 8 25 24 1 36
ZPC Kariba 26 8 9 9 35 32 3 33
How Mine 26 8 9 9 28 30 -2 33
Highlanders 26 8 8 10 30 27 3 32
Tsholotsho 26 5 11 10 16 26 -10 26
Buffaloes 26 5 11 10 20 36 -16 26
Flame Lily 26 4 11 11 21 31 -10 23
Whawha 26 4 8 14 13 45 -32 20
Dongo Sawmill 26 3 9 14 14 35 -21 18