TOUGH GOING: Mapeza told job safe • Hotel farce forces Highlanders to play in Harare • Kiglon soar as Dynamos, H'landers stutter • Stars over the moon after Independence Trophy win • Kiglon maintain fairytale start to season • Sadomba double lifts Dynamos • Highlanders held by Lengthens • Kiglon shoot down Stars to go top • Dynamos survive Mozambique scare • Malajila stars as H'landers gore Buffaloes • Dynamos take commanding lead over Sol • Malajila earns Highlanders draw in Zambia • Police call off league matches over poll violence fears • Busy schedule for league teams over Easter • Highlanders rampage as Dynamos, CAPS draw • CBZ unveils $4,5 trillion league sponsorship deal • 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

By Nkanyiso Moyo

MONOMOTAPA have told Norman Mapeza that his job is safe ahead of Saturday’s league clash with Lengthens, but a fifth straight defeat could lead to a swift revision of that position.

Mapeza, doubling as the national team’s assistant coach, will face a major examination from Moses Chunga’s Lengthens whose only defeat this season has been against shock league leaders, Kiglon.

Mapeza watched as his team lost 1-0 to Shooting Stars in the season opener and suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Sundowns in the only match they have managed to score this season.

They slumped to their third loss, a 1-0 defeat by Motor Action and Mapeza was horrified by their 3-0 surrender at Chapungu last week.

They have conceded seven goals, scoring just once.

Against Lengthens, who will be seeking to bounce back from their own 3-1 humiliation by debutants Kiglon, last week, Mapeza has his work cut-out.

In a revised programme released by the league, Njube Sundowns travel to Underhill on Saturday, while two other matches have been lined up for Sunday, one on Monday and Tuesday and two for Thursday.

Underhill are yet to win, and if they lose to the Bulawayo club, they join Monomotapa and Lancashire Steel in the early season relegation scrap.

On Sunday, Eastern Lions, coached by another Warriors assistant coach Brenna Msiska, host Lancashire Steel at Sakubva. Lancashire picked their first point of the season when they drew 1-1 with Highlanders last week.

Masvingo United play CAPS FC at Mucheke, with former Under 20 skipper Ovidy Karuru back and shining like a beacon after scoring his team’s equaliser against Dynamos in a drawn match last Sunday.

On Monday, Independence Trophy winners Shooting Stars face Motor Action and 24 hours later Chapungu are at home to Gunners.

On Thursday, the Battle of the Cities Part 1 between Highlanders and CAPS United explodes into life at Barbourfields Stadium, while at Gwanzura, leaders Kiglon face their biggest test yet when they meet defending champions Dynamos.

Fixtures
Saturday: Monomotapa v Lengthens (Dzivarasekwa), Underhill v Njube Sundowns (Mucheke)

Sunday: Eastern Lions v Lancashire Steel (Sakubva), Masvingo United v CAPS FC (Mucheke)

Monday: Shooting Stars v Motor Action (Gwanzura)

Tuesday: Chapungu v Gunners (Ascot)

Thursday: Kiglon v Dynamos (Chibuku), Highlanders v CAPS United (Barbourfields)

CBZ Premier Soccer League Table (23 April 2008)

TEAM		Played	Won	Drew	Lost	G/F	G/A	Points
1	Kiglon	4	4	0	0	9	3	12
2	Chapungu	4	2	2	0	6	1	8
3	CAPS United	4	2	2	0	3	1	8
4	Gunners	4	2	1	1	6	3	7
5	Lengthens	4	2	1	1	4	4	7
6	Motor Action	4	2	1	1	5	3	7
7	Highlanders	4	1	3	0	6	2	6
8	Dynamos	4	1	3	0	4	2	6
9	CAPS FC	4	1	3	0	4	3	6
10	Njube Sundowns	4	2	0	2	6	6	6
11	Shooting Stars	4	2	0	2	3	5	6
12	Eastern Lions	4	0	2	2	1	3	4
13	Masvingo United	4	0	2	2	3	6	2
14	Underhill	4	0	1	3	4	8	1
15	Lancashire Steel	4	0	1	3	1	6	1
16	Monomotapa	4	0	0	4	1	7	0

JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
ozzie@newzimbabwe.com