adminRicky ZililoSenior, Sports Reporter
PERENNIAL Southern Region Division One Soccer League campaigners, Black Boots FC, have folded.
Zifa Southern Region board member Tumediso Mokoena-Ndlovu said the police force side, which has been left out of the 2018 fixture calendar released yesterday, has already notified the league of their withdrawal.
Ndlovu said 15 sides have confirmed their participation statuses and they are waiting for either Chiwororo or NRZ Leopards of Dete to pay their affiliation fees before next weekend’s kickoff.
“Black Boots are out of the league. We want to have a 16-team league and right now one slot is left. I think we’ve been lenient for too long to wait for either Chiwororo or NRZ Leopards to pay up so that we start the league.
We had meetings with Chiwororo and NRZ Leopards’ representatives and we were clear that whoever pays their affiliation first will be part of the teams competing in the 2018 season,” said Ndlovu.
The Southern Region released fixtures for the four opening weekends of the league yesterday.
The coalmining town derby between former Premiership side Hwange who are aiming for a quick return to the topflight and ZPC Hwange is the pick of the opening weekend.
The two sides — Hwange and ZPC Hwange — are among the pre-season championship favourites and will both be aiming for a perfect start.
Ambitious Hwange side, Makomo, who recruited seasoned coach Rahman Gumbo in their bid to launch a strong title challenge, will start away against either Chiwororo or NRZ Leopards. Should Chiwororo or NRZ Leopards fail to pay, Makomo will start the season on a bye.
Another team that falls within the pre-race favourites Talen Vision start their campaign with a home game against tricky Zim Leopards at Gifford High School.
Former Premiership side Tsholotsho who were relegated alongside Hwange will be at home to Casmyn at Luveve Stadium next weekend.
Fixtures
Week 1 (April 14): Talen Vision v Zim Leopards (Gifford High), Tsholotsho v Casmyn (Luveve), ZRP Bulawayo v CIWU (Fairbridge), Moto Moto v Main Line (Hwange), ZPC Hwange v Hwange (Hwange), Mosi Rovers v Toronto (Chinotimba), Bosso 90 v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Luveve,12PM), NRZ Leopards/Chiwororo v Makomo
Week 2 (April 18): Main Line v NRZ Leopards/Chiwororo (Plumtree), Zim Leopards v ZPC Hwange (Raylton), Hwange v Mosi Rovers (Hwange), Casmyn v Bosso 90 (Turk Mine), CIWU v Moto Moto (Crescent), Makomo v Talen Vision (Hwange), Indlovu Iyanyathela v ZRP Bulawayo (Mzilikazi Barracks), Toronto v Tsholotsho (Raylton, 12PM)
Week 3 (April 21): ZRP Bulawayo v Casmyn (Fairbridge), Moto Moto v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Hwange), NRZ Leopards/Chiwororo v CIWU, Talen Vision v Main Line (Gifford High), ZPC Hwange v Makomo (Hwange), Mosi Rovers v Zim Leopards (Chinotimba), Tsholotsho v Hwange (Luveve), Bosso 90 v Toronto (Luveve, 12PM)
Week 4 (April 28): Casmyn v Moto Moto (Turk Mine), Indlovu Iyanyathela v NRZ Leopards/Chiwororo, CIWU v Talen Vision (Crescent), Makomo v Mosi Rovers (Hwange), Zim Leopards v Tsholotsho (Raylton), Hwange v Bosso 90 (Hwange), Toronto v ZRP Bulawayo (Raylton), Main Line v ZPC Hwange (Plumtree)
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