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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
IT’S only six rounds of matches remaining, and it is a four-horse race to win the championship in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One League.
Log leaders, FC Wangu Mazodze, perched on the summit of the table, thanks to a four-point gap ahead of Tenax FC, Rusitu Tigers and Bikita Minerals, who are all tied at 47 points, all have realistic chances of clinching the coveted Premiership promotion.
Mutare City Rovers, with a tally of 42, also have a mathematical chance.
This is a first in so many years for one of the country’s regional second tier league, where a one-horse race was a norm, with one well-funded club — known at the start of the season — eventually winning the championship.
Lack of corporate partnerships affecting the game of football, coupled with prohibitive costs of efficiently running a club left the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One League champions being predicted at the start of the season.
For example, two teams that were promoted in the recent seasons — Manica Diamonds and GreenFuel FC — appeared to wear the champions’ tag right at the start of the season.
Both clubs went on to finish all their fixtures for the season without tasting defeat.
The list is longer than that.
Rewind a few years back, Triangle FC and their now defunct neighbours, Hippo Valley were both promoted into the Premier Soccer League after entirely dominating the Eastern Region Division One League season.
For most of these teams, the writing was on the wall at the start of the season that they would go all the way to win the league championship and the subsequent Premiership promotion.
The trend reflected badly on the level of competition in the league as it appeared that most teams are just there to make up the numbers without any ambition and hope to win the coveted promotion into the elite Premier Soccer League.
The 20203 season has a totally different script.
ZIFA Eastern Region chairman, Davison Muchena said: “The competitiveness of the Eastern Region Soccer League this season has never been seen in so many years where any team from the top four can land the gong with five games to go.
“FC Wangu Mazodze is currently leading the race with 51 points from 23 matches, while Risitu Tigers, Bikita Minerals and Tenax CS FC are all locked on 47 points.
“Tenax still enjoy a game in hand and may reduce the deficit to one point should they win this weekend’s fixture. This means the league is not for the faint-hearted. This kind of competition is what we need for football development.
“If I had my way, I would have come up with an Eastern Region select squad that will also compete with other regions just to showcase the talent that we have at this level for consideration when it comes to national teams selection. I think we now boast of players that can challenge at the highest level like what the Mugeyi brothers, William and Wilfred did during those beautiful years ago. These are my thoughts.
“However, I am also particularly impressed by the courage and competitiveness of new teams that joined this season, Hunters, Midway, Bikita and Risitu Tigers. They have all punched above their weights which made the league even more interesting. Hopefully, the best team wins the league.”
Eastern Region D1 Road To PSL Top Four Teams’ Remaining Matches:
FC WANGU MAZODZE:
vs bye
vs Manica Jnrs-A
vs Busha -H
vs Tenax -A
vs Masvingo-H
vs Renco +A
TENAX CS:
vs Grayham -A
vs Buffaloes H
vs Surrey -A
vs Mazodze H
vs Manica Jnrs A
vs Busha H
RUSITU TIGERS:
vs Renco A
vs Hunters h
vs Chiredzi A
vs Bikita H
vs Mutare city A
vs bye
BIKITA MINERALS:
vs Chiredzi A
vs bye
vs Mutare City H
vs Rusitu A
vs Midway H
vs Grayham -A.
Online Reporter