Black Mambas 0-3 Dynamos; Highlanders 1-0 Buffaloes
DYNAMOS and Highlanders both posted wins on Wednesday to drag the Premier League title race to the final three matches of the season.
At Morris Depot in Harare, Dynamos led Mambas through Simba Sithole's first half goal before Timire Mamvura and Cliff Sekete secured the points after the break.
After failing to shake-off Highlanders in the 1-1 draw on Sunday, Dynamos hit the ground running against a well-beaten Mambas who finished the match with nine men.
Sithole, who scored in Sunday’s match, gave them the lead on 38 minutes before Mamvura’s magical strike shortly after the break doubled Dynamos’ advantage.
Mamvura picked the ball up in the centre circle and fired it towards goal more in hope than expectation.
Mambas goalkeeper Learnmore Jere watched the flight of the ball, let it bounce in front of him and over into the nets as he made a desperate late bid to keep it out.
Mambas were down to 10 men seven minutes from the end as Patrick Muswere saw red for punching Dynamos goalkeeper George Chigova after some provocation.
Defender Sam Mutenheri shortly followed him for an early shower after swearing at referee, Pedzisai Chadya, for sending off his teammate.
At Barbourfields in Bulawayo, Masimba Mambare scored the only goal as Highlanders beat Buffaloes to stay within touching distance of the leaders.
The final result did not tell the whole story as Highlanders totally dominated the visitors and were three times denied by the frame of the goal.
Eric Mudzingwa saw his first half header bounce off the crossbar before Mambare shook the upright as Kevin Kaindu's men searched for a second.
Cleopas Dube also got in on the action in the second half as his strike was kept out by the crossbar.
Dynamos, defending the title they won last year, maintain a two-point lead and can wrap up the title with wins over Monomotapa (A), Buffaloes (H) and Hardbody (A).
Highlanders, meanwhile, can keep asking the question by beating Hardbody (A), FC Platinum (H) and Blue Rangers (A).
At Larfarge, relegation-threatened Gunners beat Monomotapa 1-0 in the biggest shock of the midweek programme.
The win lifted Moses Chunga's men out of the drop zone, their cause helped by heavy defeats for fellow strugglers Hardbody and Blue Rangers.
Hardbody dropped to 15th after a 5-1 defeat to Hwange at the Colliery. The coal-miners eased their own relegation worries as they climbed to 11th - five points above safety.
Blue Rangers were sucked into the bottom two after suffering a 5-1 roasting at the hands of Chicken Inn at Luveve.
In other matches, CAPS United and Harare City drew 0-0 at Rufaro, Motor Action beat relegated Quelaton 2-0 while Shabanie Mine and FC Platinum drew 0-0 at Maglas.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Fixtures
Saturday
CAPS United Vs Motor Action (Rufaro Stadium)
Sunday
Monomotapa Vs Dynamos (Rufaro Stadium); Buffaloes Vs Black Mambas (Sakubva Stadium); Hardbody Vs Highlanders (Ascot Stadium); Quelaton Vs Chicken Inn (Luveve Stadium); Blue Rangers Vs Shabanie Mine (Gwanzura Stadium); FC Platinum Vs Hwange (Mandava Stadium); Gunners Vs Harare City (Lafarge Stadium)