THE BOSS: Norman Mapeza • Monmomotapa clinch premiership title • Dynamos slash Monomotapa's lead with emphatic win • Monomotapa, Dynamos set up tantalising season finale • Monomotapa get in mood for big party • 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

By Nkanyiso Moyo
Posted top the web: 22/12/2008 22:20:45
CAPS United escaped relegation as Monomotapa finally laid their hands on the CBZ Premier League trophy on a dramatic final day in the premiership.

CAPS United walloped Highlanders 4-1 and avoided relegation thanks to a superior goal difference as they had the same number of points -- 36 -- with Lancashire Steel and Masvingo United who are in the play-offs and relegated respectively.

Chapungu (34) and CAPS FC (22) are the other teams condemned to Division One football next season.

United, arguably the country’s third biggest club after Dynamos and Highlanders, needed Chapungu and Lancashire Steel to both lose and they got their wish. Chapungu fell 2-0 away to Gunners while Lancashire lost narrowly to Eastern Lions, going down 1-0 at their former fortress Baghdad.

United edged it on goal difference (+3) to Lancashire’s -9 and Masvingo’s -11. Chapungu remained on 34 points.

With the league title already won, Norman Mapeza’s Monomotapa ended the season with an anti-climax – drawing 0-0 with Lengthens. The result means Monomotapa picked only two points in their last three games after the 3-0 defeat by Dynamos and the 0-0 draw with Chapungu.

Former champions Dynamos beat Kiglon 3-2 but that counted for nothing as Monomotapa edged it by just two points to win their maiden premiership title under Norman Mapeza.

ANALYSIS & PICTURES TO FOLLOW

CBZ Premier Soccer League Results:
Monday: Motor Action vs Shooting Stars; Dynamos 3-2 Kiglon; Lengthens 0-0 Monomotapa; Lancashire Steel 0-1 Eastern Lions; Njube Sundowns 3-1 Underhill; CAPS FC 2-4 Masvingo, CAPS United 4-1 Highlanders; Gunners 2-0 Chapungu, Motor Action v Shooting Stars (result not confirmed yet)

CBZ Premier Soccer League Final Standings: Monday, December 22, 2008

TEAM		Played	Won	Drew	Lost	G/F	G/A	Points
1	C - Monomotapa	30	18	6	6	41	27	60
2	Dynamos	30	16	10	4	40	24	58
3	Njube Sundowns	30	15	3	12	42	36	48
4	Highlanders	30	9	15	6	34	25	42
5	Shooting Stars	29	11	8	10	34	26	41
6	Lengthens	30	11	8	11	37	41	41
7	Kiglon	30	9	12	9	31	32	39
8	Eastern Lions	30	9	11	10	24	29	38
9	Underhill	30	9	11	10	38	44	38
10*	Gunners	29	9	10	10	39	39	37
11	Motor Action	29	11	4	14	34	39	37
12	CAPS United	30	8	12	10	35	32	36
13	P/O - Lancashire	30	10	6	14	37	46	36
14	R - Masvingo United	30	9	9	12	36	47	36
15	R - Chapungu	30	9	7	14	31	32	34
16*	R - CAPS FC	29	4	10	15	27	40	22
* CAPS FC failed to turn up for fixture. Likely to be awarded to Gunners on 3-0 score

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