ACTUALITE |
08.08.2002
Who Are The Relegation Candidates?
Seven matches to the close of this season, teams still occupying the lower rungs walk on tight rope.
The fight for survival heightens as this year’s national elite football championship nears end. The 16 clubs of the premiership each has seven games in hand to close the season. The teams in the lower rung of the classification table will need to go the extra mile in putting up a winning spirit in order to stay clear of the relegation zone.Some chances still exist for these clubs to stay afloat. Mt Cameroon and Racing Bafoussam on the 10th and 11th position in that order, can withstand the storm if they win at least three of their seven remaining matches to lord it over their bottom-placed runners-up; Sable, ASMY 1er, Kumbo Strikers, Victoria United and Espérance.
For any of these teams which are currently separated from each other by the skin of the teeth, a victory is going to make a difference on the league rankings. This is likely to be so, because, a three-point gap separates most of the clubs. This same situation is relevant to the upper rung teams where the struggle for leadership makes the championship more competitive. From the 13th position occupied by ASMY 1er to the 16th league placing of Espérance, it is uncertainty that looms around the clubs. ASMY 1er, the club that is managed by the Yaounde One Urban Council started the season well. When this council paid greater attention to pre-election activities before the last June 30 elections, the fortunes of ASMY 1er went dwindling with the none payment of players’ stipends and bonuses nearly marring the club. Fortunately, the new councillors have shown their interest in the club by making available some money for its smooth functioning.
Kumbo Strikers on the 14th position and Victoria United on the 15th league placing have taken most fans aback given their good start this season that soon made way for defeats. Can the home advantage notion very much embraced by these teams save them? If the answer were to be in the affirmative, then, both teams will win their last three matches that will be played in their home grounds. This may free them from relegation the tight rope to walk notwithstanding. Espérance by every indication is giving the last inconsequential kicks of a dying horse and many analysts ascertain that, the relegation of this team into division two is already a fait accompli. Since the away leg of the championship, the dismal performance of the team has been stagnant. For now, the relegation zone is mostly crowded by odd-makers and things are likely to improve as the championship slowly and steadily grinds to a halt.
|
|
Hits: 1 | Source:cameroon-tribune.cm | |
|
|
|
|
| |