Southern Region Div One best 11 revealed ……top three to be named today

AHEAD of a belated awards ceremony, the Zifa Southern Region Division One last season’s best 11 performing players list that is dominated by ZPC Hwange, has been released.

The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday at Bulawayo’s Queens Sports Club were the top three region’s Soccer Stars are going to be named.

The breathtaking shows of goalkeeper Harmony Nare, striker Justin Kaunda and Israel Mkahanana did not go unnoticed as they were instrumental in ZPC Hwange’s fine season that saw them being crowned champions.

Trio is joined in the region’s stars list by the Nkayi United duo of Tinotenda Chitete and Nhlanhla Fumpano.

Casymn also has two players- Tatenda Ushe and Wilfred Nzondo- among last year’s creme de la creme.

Hopewell Moyo (Zimbabwe Saints), Mbongeni Minezhi (Bulawayo City) Micheal Tamela (Mainline) and Trevor Mugwagwa (Zebra Revolution) complete the list of last year’s best players of the season.

“Our top three Soccer Stars are going to be announced at our belated function that will be held at Queens Sports Club on Saturday (today). The Coach of the Year will also be announced at the same function. All I can say is that all systems go from our side.

“The preparations for the event have gone on well. We are expecting to have a fun-filled function as we celebrate our last season’s individual and team accolades,” said the region’s spokesperson Blessing Mbwanda.

The 2024 Zifa Southern Region Division One League was conquered by ZPC Hwange, who secured the region’s sole ticket to the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Despite their magnificent efforts in the field of play, the power generators will not be playing in the country’s elite football league after entering into a strategic partnership with Norton based MWOS, who will take their spot.

It was a development that did not go down well with hordes of local football followers in the southern region let alone Hwange based local football fans who will not have a representative in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) this season as Hwange FC were relegated at the end of the last campaign.

Ahead of the start of the 2025 season, ex PSL sides Bulawayo Chiefs, Arenel Movers, Hwange and Zimbabwe Saints have not haboured their intentions to outdo each other.

These teams will be looking to bounce back to the top-flight league, but they will face stiff competition from other strong teams in the region.

Casmyn, Nkayi United, Bulawayo City, Zimbabwe Saints and Adachi all finished in the top eight last season and will be looking to build on their performance.

Clubs like the ambitious Talen Vision and Zebra Revolution could also cause some upsets. The fact that there are no easy games in this season’s fixture list means that teams will have to be at their best every week to stand a chance of winning the title.

-@FungaiMuderere