By Sheldon Hakata

THE race for the 2017 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) took a new twist after pure Platinum play leapfrogged Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum to shoot to the summit of the log, setting up what looks to be a grand finale to the league.
There are five games left before the league ends.
The Norman Mapeza-led outfit took a step closer to lifting their maiden Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship.
FC Platinum who climbed to the log summit with a deserved 2-0 win over relegation-threatened neighbours Shabanie Mine in an exciting Zvishavane derby at Mandava Stadium on Wednesday, have their work cut out as they now have to collect maximum points from the remaining matches.
FC Platinum found their goals in the 62nd and 78th minutes through Rodwell Chinyengetere and veteran striker Mkhokeli Dube to subdue a spirited Shabanie Mine.
This was Norman Mapeza’s 100th game in charge of the platinum miners.
He can now smell glory, after failing agonisingly close in the past two seasons to win the league.
‘Bvaru Bvaru’ (Shabanie Mine) had gone for five games unbeaten as they fought to escape relegation
Mapeza’s rivals Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars dropped crucial points in their mid-week matches against Tsholotsho FC and Chapungu respectively.
Such is the stiff competition at the top of the log that the top three sides are all separated by just a single point.
FC Platinum lead the pack with 59 points, Dynamos are on 58 while Ngezi Platinum completes the top three with 57 points.
Dynamos are fast running out of steam at a crucial stage as they have failed to garner maximum points following their disappointing draw.
The Harare giants at some stage looked as the ‘champions in waiting’ as they exhibited classy football and going on a seven-game unbeaten run.
Rivals CAPS United burst the balloon in September, beating the former champions 1-0 at Rufaro Stadium.
Since that loss to CAPS United, DeMbare have won once in their last four league encounters.
They beat Harare City while drawing with Shabanie Mine, ZPC Kariba and on Wednesday with Tsholotsho.
The Glamour Boys (Dynamos) have lost grip at the top of the log table.
They went into Wednesday’s tie against Tsholotsho enjoying a one point lead ahead of rivals Ngezi Platinum Stars and FC Platinum.
The Glamour Boys can admit that they were lucky to walk away with a point after playing second fiddle to visitors Tsholotsho currently stuck deep in the relegation zone.
Tsolotsho had a goal disallowed and ruled out for offside in added time.
They remain second from bottom with a paltry 21 points from 29 matches.
Dynamos’ next assignment will be a crunch tie away to closest rivals Ngezi Platinum Stars.
As the race for the league title hots up, it is also the time when strikers feel the pressure and occasionally waste scoring chances that come their way.
Defenders on the other hand, are also blamed for lapse in concentration.
McCarthy Dube was the toast of the day as relegated Bantu Rovers stunned visiting ZPC Kariba in a lunchtime PSL kick-off match at Luveve Stadium on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old former Highlanders juniors’ player was on target for Tshintsha Guluva (Bantu Rovers)’s opening goal before setting up Nigel Papias for his team’s second goal.
Dube scored 80 minutes into the match.
Papias scored the second five minutes later to give the relegated Bantu Rovers all three points.
Ten-men Bulawayo City boosted their chances survival in the PSL after beating neighbours How Mine on Wednesday.
How Mine came into the game with a new look side.
Coach Kelvin Kaindu rested some of his senior players for the Chibuku Super Cup semi-final on Sunday.
City needed nothing short of a victory against Chikurupati to enhance chances of extending their dance in the PSL.
Bulawayo City rode over Harare City and Yadah, landing on position 12 with 39 points from 29 matches.
A stubborn Yadah Stars gave their all in this basement battle and even had a goal disallowed in the second half.
They settled for a priceless point at the Colliery in Hwange on Wednesday.
The Harare side prevented the hosts from securing a third straight PSL and in the process, brightening their chances of a dance with the top-flight league next year.
Hwange had beaten Bulawayo City and How Mine with identical 1-0 winning margins in their last two league matches. Hwange were hoping to make it a third victory on the bounce.
They found resistance from the Harare side in a match played under punishing conditions in a heatwave that made life difficult for players.
The two teams also shared the spoils in their reverse tie in Harare at the National Sports Stadium.
With the league heading towards the end, it is for FC Platinum to lose.