Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
Metros Editor
SCOTTLAND are on the threshold of an historical success story and, in terms of statistics, this could be the best campaign by a debutant in the domestic top-flight league championship race.
The Mabvuku side are on the verge of becoming only the second team, after Black Rhinos in ’84, to win the league title in their debut season.
They have all the aces as the championship reaches its climax with the first of the final three league matches set for this weekend.
A six-point cushion, which has been established after a relentless pursuit for honours and the dramatic collapse of their main rivals, have left Scottland within touching distance of paradise.
They are such overwhelming favourites that they could effectively win the championship on Saturday, without even kicking the ball, in the event that both Simba Bhora and MWOS lose their matches.
Simba Bhora host Highlanders at Wadzanayi in Shamva hoping to end a poor run in which they have seen their lead being wiped away and left them with too much to do to defend their crown.
MWOS have a home date against Triangle, the same team which ousted them from the Chibuku Super Cup at the weekend, at Ngoni on Saturday.
If MWOS and Simba lose their matches, Scottland will effectively be crowned champions without kicking a ball in their Sunday match against relegated Kwekwe United at Ascot.
Scottland have a goal difference of +22, Simba have a goal difference of +15 and MWOS have a goal difference of +11.
If they both lose on Saturday it means their goal difference will even get worse and MWOS will definitely be out of the race, as they could only end up on 61 points, a point behind the tally with Scottland have right now.
Simba would have to win their last two matches by a scoreline of 13-0 and that is assuming that Scottland lose all their last three matches, including one against Kwekwe United.
Winning the championship will be a special achievement for them as they would match what Rhinos did in ’84.
So far, Scottland have lost five games in 31 matches, the same number of games which Rhinos lost in a 26-game season when they won the championship in their debut season in ’84.
If they avoid defeat in their last three matches, it will mean that they have matched the number of matches, which Rhinos lost in ’84, but they will have played in a longer championship race in which teams now play 34 games.
But, there is something that Rhinos did that year, which Scottland can’t match – winning the League and Cup double.
Rhinos thrashed Gweru United 4-1 in the Castle Cup final that year, the game was over as a contest in the first half in which the army side led 3-0.
FC Platinum came close to matching the Rhinos record in 2011 but they lost to Rhinos on goal difference after the two teams ended with the same number of points (58).
A 0-1 defeat at home to DeMbare at Mandava, in the penultimate match of the championship race, titled the game in the Glamour Boys’ favour.
Mathew Masinge