By Ricky Zililo
Despite languishing at the bottom of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table, Bulawayo Chiefs are not pressing panic buttons, with trainer Thulani Sibanda saying they are close to finding the right formula.
Chiefs have lost all their four games and anchor the table, and have conceded an incredible 11 goals.
What gives them hope of swimming out of the relegation waters is that they have a game in hand over the majority of teams.
Chiefs suffered their fourth loss at the weekend, a 4-1 hammering by Caps United in Harare.
Sibanda, who was re-engaged by the club after a 5-0 baptism of fire by Chapungu in the opening game, said most of his players that have been out through injury were now back and will soon start working on tactical drills.
“From the assessment we’ve made, we’re getting there because for the past two weeks we’ve been training with about 17 players, as a number of guys were out because of injuries. Some are back to full training and I can safely say there’s light at the end of the tunnel,” said Sibanda.
“We’re not worried at all about where we are because we’re working on getting ourselves out of that position. What we’ve been working on is the players’ physique and now that they’re fit, we will start working on tactics. We’ll start picking points soon and from our next three games, I’m confident we will get at least six points,” he said.
Chiefs’ next three games are at home to fellow strugglers Yadah, who are second from the bottom, and a trip to Harare City before they host troubled Harare giants Dynamos.
Chiefs’ influential players that have returned from injury include speedster striker Farawu Matare, central midfielder Shepard Mhlanga, attacking linkman Clement Makamba, utility player Moses Majika, forward Nigel Papius and defender Felix Moyo.
They are hard-pressed to turn around their results to avoid relegation.
Seven points separate Chiefs with mid-table sides, making the 2019 survival race a tight affair.
Chapungu, who posted a shock 2-1 away win over Triangle United, Manica Diamonds, who lost 1-0 to Hwange at the weekend, Triangle and Ngezi Platinum Stars are all tied on seven points.
Herentals, newboys TelOne, who held Dynamos to a 1-1 draw in Bulawayo on Sunday, and Harare City are on five points, with DeMbare just a place above the relegation line with four points.
Fading Bulawayo Highlanders are on three points from five games, while Mushowani Stars and Yadah sit on two points. The Chronicle
Match Day Five results
Saturday:
-Harare City 1-2 Black Rhinos
-Mushowani Stars 0-0 Highlanders
-Chicken Inn 0-1 FC Platinum
-ZPC Kariba 2-1 Yadah.
Yesterday:
-Caps United 4-1 Bulawayo Chiefs-
Triangle United 0-1 Chapungu
-Hwange 1-0 Manica Diamonds
-Herentals 0-0 Ngezi Platinum
-Telone 1-1 Dynamos
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
FC Platinum 5 4 1 0 9 3 6 13
Hwange 5 4 0 1 7 4 3 12
ZPC Kariba 5 4 0 1 6 4 2 12
Caps United 4 3 1 0 8 1 7 10
Chicken Inn 5 3 0 2 7 4 3 9
Chapungu 4 2 1 1 8 3 5 7
Manica Diamonds 5 2 1 2 6 6 0 7
Triangle United 5 2 1 2 6 6 0 7
Ngezi Platinum 5 2 1 2 5 5 0 7
Herentals 5 1 3 1 3 3 0 6
TelOne 5 1 3 1 2 2 0 6
Harare City 5 2 0 3 6 8 -2 6
Black Rhinos 4 1 2 1 5 6 -1 5
Dynamos 5 1 1 3 4 6 -2 4
Highlanders 5 0 3 2 2 5 -3 3
Mushowani 5 0 2 3 3 7 -4 2
Yadah 5 0 2 3 3 8 -5 2
Bulawayo Chiefs 4 0 0 4 1 11 -10 0
