Zimbabwe PSL Matchday 18 Review: Highlanders in dominant win over Dynamos, Manica Diamonds defeated

TAWANDA CHARI

HARARE – Highlanders beat Dynamos 2-0 in the Castle Lager Premiership Matchday 18 encounter played at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday. The result meant the Bulawayo giants have completed a league double over Dynamos this season.

Bosso took the lead in the 24th minute from a McKinnon Mushore strike.

Dynamos dominated the proceedings and creating several opportunities in the second half but struggled to convert their efforts.

Bosso goalkeeper Reward Muza made several crucial saves to deny Dynamos.

Highlanders doubled their lead in the 75th minute through a precise effort by Godfrey Makaruse.

Despite scoring a second late on, Bosso relentlessly continued to look for another goal to bury the game. Ultimately, it was a dominant win for the Bulawayo giants.

Simba Bhora defeat Manica Diamonds

Simba Bhora's 1-0 victory over Manica Diamonds marked the end of Manica's impressive twelve-match unbeaten streak. A goal from Mthokozisi Msebe in the 1st minute was enough to see the Gem Boys to their first loss in three months.

The match, held at Wadzanai Stadium in Shamva, saw Simba Bhora deliver a disciplined performance, with the decisive goal effectively managing to nullify Manica's previously formidable run.

The Gem Boys last suffered a defeat in early April when they lost to defending champions Ngezi Platinum.

Madamburo see off struggling Arenel Movers

At the Baobab Stadium, Ngezi Platinum Stars continued their pursuit of the league title by narrowly edging Arenel Movers 1-0.

The defending champions scored the winning goal through Obriel Chirinda as early as the 4th minute, a goal that not only secured the win but also marked Chirinda's fourth goal in as many games.

This victory propelled Ngezi Platinum into second place on the league table.

Half-season review and predictions

At the midpoint of the Zimbabwean Premier Soccer League season, the standings provide a clear indication of the teams' performances based on their goal difference (GD) and expected goal difference (xGD) metrics.

Top four teams:

FC Platinum leads the league with a remarkable 38 points in 18 games. They've netted 27 times and boast a goal difference of +15, reflecting their dominance in both offensive and defensive play compared to the rest of the competition.

If they keep their current form, they should be able to keep their number 1 spot come end of season.

Ngezi Platinum follows with 33 points, a GD of +9 and have been decent on the scoring front. They have been putting up solid performances, and definitely should remain in the top 4 at the end of the competition.

The other remaining spots belong to two of Simba Bhora, Manica Diamonds and Highlanders.

The Gem boys have the strongest defense in the competition with the fewest goals conceded. However, they are not the a very good goal scoring team themselves but if they keep their current form, Manica Diamonds should remain in the top 4 for a 2nd season running.

Highlanders could be challenging for the title if they can turn a few of those 8 draws into wins. They have started the second half very strong with a win over Harare giants Dynamos.

Simba Bhora have been surprisingly good thus far. We do expect them to continue doing well.

These teams have established themselves as the frontrunners due to their superior goal difference. That metric often correlates with their chances of maintaining top positions by season's end unless there is a drastic drop of form.

Relegation fodder:

Arenel Movers sit at the bottom of the table with a goal difference of -14, highlighting a very significant defensive weakness.

They are definitely not surviving the drop. Whether or not it's a player quality issue or coaching problem or both is up to interpretation.

Hwange are just above Arenel with a goal difference of -12, also struggling to keep opponents from scoring. They are definitely going down as well.

Chegutu Pirates and Telone both have defensive vulnerabilities that could lead to relegation if not addressed. They both could survive relegation if they improve their performances and the teams above them get worse.

Teams with poor defensive records and high goals conceded are at greater risk of relegation, as these metrics typically indicate underlying issues that are difficult to overcome without significant improvements.