Zimbabwe: Relegation Battle Is a Bloodbath

16 September 2025
The Herald (Harare)
By Lawrence Moyo

Failure to beat Triangle at home in the only Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match on Sunday means Dynamos will possibly now treat Saturday's Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final against ZPC Kariba at Rufaro as a distraction.

Dynamos headline a list of former Premiership champions who face relegation, including CAPS United, Chicken Inn and Highlanders.

Also in the relegation mix are Greenfuel, Yadah, Manica Diamonds, Bikita Minerals and ZPC Kariba.

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Newcomers Kwekwe United are the only team officially relegated from the Castle Lager Premier League.

Ten others are locked in a battle to avoid filling the remaining three slots over the next six matchdays.

The goalless draw against Triangle, which was marred by violence on and off the field of play, left Dynamos third from the bottom with 29 points from 28 matches and three points from safety.

Players and officials turned violent against match officials, protesting against what they thought was inadequate "added time" while hooligans threw an assortment of missiles from the terraces, forcing police to intervene.

When fighting against relegation, the easiest way to escape is to collect maximum points against teams facing the same predicament.

And, that is what Dynamos expected against a Triangle United side coached by Genesis Mangombe, who left DeMbare unceremoniously last year.

A week after the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals, Dynamos and CAPS United clash in the blockbuster Harare Derby on Matchday 29 whose outcome might have a strong influence on the relegation matrix.

A Dynamos win will take them above CAPS United while Makepekepe, who have seemingly perfected the art of only targeting heavyweight opposition under coach Ian Bakala, need to avoid defeat to stay above their bitter rivals with five matches remaining.

Both Dynamos and CAPS United face heavyweight opposition in the remaining fixtures.

DeMbare will face Ngezi Platinum (home), Highlanders (away), Bikita Minerals (home), Yadah (away) and FC Platinum (home) while the Green Machine take on Simba Bhora (away), Manica Diamonds (home), Chicken Inn (away), MWOS (home) and Kwekwe United (away).

These are nightmare fixtures for both Zambian coaches, Kelvin Kaindu and Bakala in charge of the Harare giants.

Highlanders are just four points above the relegation zone after the loss at FC Platinum.

They also have a very difficult run-in, which includes matches against ZPC Kariba (home), Herentals (away), Dynamos (home), Simba Bhora (away), Manica Diamonds (home) and Chicken Inn (away).

Chicken Inn, who were crowned Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions in 2015, have an equally nightmare run-in.

They face title-chasing Scottland and Ngezi Platinum Stars while also taking on relegation colleagues, CAPS United, Highlanders, Triangle and Greenfuel.

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