PSL bottom half: Haven for Eastern Region teams

 

Ray Bande
Senior Reporter

THE 2025 Castle Lager Premier League season reaches its halfway point next weekend, with four Eastern Region representatives languishing in the bottom half of the log standings; rendering the prospect of any of them clinching the title increasingly unlikely.

The Eastern Region clubs competing in the top-flight league are Mutare-based Manica Diamonds, owned by the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), Billy Rautenbach-financed GreenFuel, lithium miners Bikita Minerals, and sugarcane growers Triangle United.

Additionally, Harare-based Yadah Stars, who gained promotion into the PSL via an Eastern Region ticket, make up the fifth team from the region. Currently, all these Eastern Region teams occupy the bottom half on the table.

 

Manica Diamonds, also known as the Gem Boys, are positioned 10th, the highest among the Eastern Region clubs.

The team’s performance has fallen woefully short of expectations, prompting their fans to express discontent following their 0-1 loss to Highlanders on Wednesday.

 

A disturbing scene unfolded as fans surrounded the vehicles of club chairman Masimba Chihowa and secretary general Sugar Chagonda as they exited Sakubva Stadium.

 

Manica Diamonds have failed to secure a victory since their demoralising 4-1 defeat to Simba Bhora.

 

The team settled for a 2-2 draw at home against TelOne, followed by another draw against Chicken Inn.

They then drew 1-1 against then log leaders MWOS before playing out a goalless stalemate against Kwekwe United. Jairos Tapera’s men continued their winless streak with a goalless draw against GreenFuel, followed by another goalless stalemate against Scottland.

The Mutare-based outfit played out a 1-1 draw against Triangle, which preceded a 0-1 defeat to then-struggling CAPS United. Last weekend, Tapera’s men secured another 1-1 draw away to Ngezi Platinum.

This string of underwhelming results has been the hallmark of the region’s best-performing team.

This week, Post Sport spoke to several fans who shared their insights on why Eastern Region teams are struggling to make an impact in the top-flight league.

David Maramba said: “As I see it, there are various factors contributing to the dismal performance of Eastern Region teams in the PSL. First, when a team is based in a community such as Chiredzi, for example, there is a territorial advantage in having local players, like those from Tshovani, playing for the team. This is crucial as it garners moral support from the fans. Never underestimate the power of that backing to boost morale.

“Regarding Manica Diamonds, I believe they possess ample talent and resources. However, they need to focus on acquiring players who identify with the local community. If you examine Manica Diamonds, alongside Scottland, Ngezi Platinum, and Simba Bhora, this group appears to be the strongest on paper, yet this has not translated into satisfactory results for Manica Diamonds.”

“It is essential for coaches to recruit players from afar who are exceptionally talented. I think this is a significant issue affecting Eastern Region teams in the PSL.”

Lameck Dhliwayo said: “For a team like Bikita Minerals, travelling is their primary hindrance; unlike others who have the advantage of playing at home. As for Triangle, I think their major issue is a lack of talent within the team. They could have performed better if they had scouted for skilled and experienced players.”

Donald Manhende said: “That is a classic example of being allergic to success. Our football administrators lack self-confidence when it comes to competing for top-flight silverware. As a result, their primary goal is merely to avoid relegation, rather than striving for success.

“They lack the zeal to pursue the title, and their body language on the pitch reflects this. It seems they believe titles are reserved for teams from Harare or Bulawayo.”

Godfrey Sithole said: “The reality is that we lack substantial sponsorship for our teams here in the Eastern Region. We cannot compare ourselves to teams in the Northern or Southern Regions.

“While teams like Manica Diamonds and GreenFuel appear to be well-financed on the surface, are the players truly receiving adequate compensation? Perhaps the management from parent companies face restrictions when it comes to incentivising their coaches and players, unlike teams such as Ngezi Platinum Stars, MWOS, Simba Bhora, and Scottland.

“Hope still exists, especially for Yadah, Bikita, GreenFuel, and Manica Diamonds, to merely survive relegation and remain part of the league next year. Triangle, however, is in a precarious position, and only a miracle can save them. As for the championship, as a region, we might as well forget about it.”