There is no room for error for any team in the top half of the Castle Lager PSL as the second half of the season gets underway on Wednesday. 

Eight teams are within striking distance of the championship title with only four points separating leaders Black Rhinos and eighth placed ZPC Kariba.

Rhinos, who have a game in hand against CAPS United, lead the standings with 31 points followed by the pair of Ngezi Platinum Stars and Howmine with the same number of points but having played a game more each. Dynamos, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum and Highlanders all have a chance as they dream of lifting the title at the end of the season in what promises to be a thrilling second half of the league.

Black Rhinos’ outstanding match is against defending champions Caps United, who are in the relegation zone in 16th position with 13 points from 10 games.

Faced with a hectic second half, which will require them to play mid-week games to clear the backlog, Caps will feel the pressure as they catch up.

Champions Caps face Shabanie Mine at the National Sports Stadium on Wednesday as they try to get out of the red zone and defend their title.

A double header is on the cards at Luveve Stadium, with the first match featuring Chicken Inn and Bantu Rovers, followed by the How Mine and ZPC Kariba clash.

Chicken Inn are in fifth position with 29 points from 16 games and will want to kick start their second half of the season campaign brightly after losing the pair of Tafadzwa Kutinyu and Teenage Hadebe who joined Singida in Tanzania and Kaizer Chiefs respectively.

Rovers, who are second from the bottom, lost three strikers, Newman Siantshali to Bulawayo City, Bukhosi Sibanda and Obriel Chirinda to South African National First Division side Ubuntu Cape Town FC.

To survive relegation, Rovers need to start winning and should expect a tough encounter against Chicken Inn, who declared their championship interests in the first half.

How Mine and ZPC Kariba’s clash also promises to be a thriller, with the former out for revenge after losing the first round 1-0 in Kariba.