By Tapiwa Chawagarira
GWERU — Chapungu FC face a potentially decisive ZIFA Central Region Soccer League encounter against neighbours Kwekwe United at Baghdad Stadium tomorrow, with the battle for promotion and the championship entering a critical stage.
The Airmen enter the Matchday 24 fixture third on the log with 50 points from 23 matches, just two points behind second-placed Kwekwe United, who have accumulated 52 points from the same number of games.
The tight standings have added considerable significance to the Midlands derby, with Chapungu knowing that a victory would see them leapfrog their Kwekwe rivals and move into second place.
The Waru Waru boys will also seek to complete a league double over Kwekwe United after edging them 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Ascot Stadium on May 10.
Chapungu’s promotion ambitions have been evident throughout the campaign, with the former Premier Soccer League side being among the early pace-setters in the highly competitive Central Region race.
At the halfway stage of the campaign, Chapungu were still firmly among the leading contenders, having spent much of the first half at the top of the standings. Meanwhile, Kwekwe United have also remained in contention after returning to the Central Region following their PSL campaign.
The rivalry between the two sides has already produced a closely fought contest this season, and tomorrow’s meeting is expected to be another closely contested battle.
Kwekwe United will have home advantage at Baghdad Stadium, but Chapungu will draw confidence from their first-leg victory and the opportunity to strengthen their position in the promotion race.
The Airmen, however, will need to quickly put their recent 2-1 defeat to Tongogara in the Dream Inn-GMI Super 8 Challenge Cup behind them—a result that saw them eliminated from the competition. Kwekwe United also exited the tournament after a 2-0 defeat to Super Strikers at Baghdad Stadium last weekend.
With only two points separating the sides, the outcome could have a major impact on the title race as the season enters its decisive stretch.
Chapungu are therefore expected to approach the encounter with attacking intent, while Kwekwe United will be keen to protect their position and avenge their first-leg defeat.
The match is also expected to attract significant interest from supporters in both Gweru and Kwekwe, given the geographical proximity of the two clubs and the importance of the three points at stake.
The Chapungu faithful have been urged to make the short trip to Kwekwe in large numbers and rally behind the team as the Airmen continue their push for a return to the Premier Soccer League.
With the summit within touching distance, tomorrow’s Midlands showdown could prove to be one of the defining fixtures of Chapungu’s campaign.
