Winless September ruins Harare City . . . NRSL race down to three teams

Lawrence Moyo-Head Zimpapers Sports Hub

FORMER Northern Region Soccer League leaders, Harare City are virtually out of the race for promotion after an embarrassing September in which they had the worst record of all the 20 teams in this year’s most competitive Division One league.

Harare City started the month of September in second place with 52 points from 25 matches and just two behind leaders MWOS.

However, City finished September with the WORST record in which they failed to win any of the six matches while drawing three and losing as many.

They conceded a 13-point deficit against MWOS.

Golden Eagles are the only other team in the NRSL to have concluded their September campaign without a win.

City now trail MWOS by 15 points with seven more matches to go and can no longer win the sole ticket to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, barring a miraculous collapse for MWOS, second-placed Scottland, and third-placed Black Rhinos.

As predicted when the September matches got underway, the Sunshine Boys had the toughest schedule in which they had to face MWOS, Rhinos, Herentals Under-20, PAM FC, Ngezi Platinum Under-19, and Karoi United.

They lost the three matches against MWOS (1-2), Rhinos (0-1), and Ngezi Platinum Under-19 (0-1) while drawing against Herentals, PAM FC and Karoi.

Former leaders, Rhinos surrendered a six-point advantage to MWOS following two surprise defeats against sister club Cranborne Bullets (0-1) and Chinhoyi Stars (0-2) and will now be banking on other teams to disturb MWOS and Scottland above them.

Nesbert “Yabo” Saruchera’s men are 10 points behind the log leaders and would only win promotion if the leaders lose four of their remaining seven matches, which on papers looks improbable as MWOS have lost just three matches from 31 while Scottland have five defeats in 30 matches.

To MWOS’ advantage is a healthy goal difference of plus 38, which is 17 better than Scottland who have an outstanding match, 24 better than Rhinos, and 19 better than City. MWOS dominate in both attack and defence as they have the league’s highest goals at 54 and best defence at 16 in 31 matches.

Scottland have the second-best record both in attack and defence at 38 goals in 30 matches and 17 goals conceded.

TWO-HORSE RACE?

MWOS and second-placed Scottland might have an identical record for September if the NRSL disciplinary committee awards the Mabvuku outfit the abandoned match against Karoi United.

A hearing into the matter is scheduled for this week and a 3-0 win for Scottland will leave them level with MWOS everything in as far as the September results are concerned. Karoi have been charged following reports from both the referee and Scottland but insist that the match official feigned injury and will fight any attempt to have them forfeit the match. Scottland will have more matches in Harare from their remaining seven assignments, which include trips to Cranborne Bullets, DZ Royal Stars, and Harare City who are all based in the capital.

The only time Scottland will travel out of Harare during the remaining seven weeks will be a trip to Chinhoyi Stars on the weekend of October 19-20.

This lessens the burden on coach Genesis Mangombe as he seeks to overturn MWOS’ lead in what has seemingly been turned into a two-horse race following a disappointing September for former league leaders, Rhinos and City.

At the other end of the NRSL table, last season’s title favourites Black Mambas did very well in September and are now better-placed to survive relegation, which was hovering above them at the end of August.

Their run of three wins, a draw, and two defeats, was the fifth best in September and left them in 16th place with 34 points from 31 matches, leaving them just three points behind 11thplace, currently occupied by Banket United.

Ngezi Platinum Under-19 side also did very well in September and recorded the third-best record with 13 points from six matches to move into a more comfortable 10th place with 38 points from 31 matches, virtually securing a ticket for next season’s campaign. The bottom three teams, Zambezi Coal and Gas, CCLEE Mhangura, and DZ Royal Stars look doomed and might as well start preparing for Division Two life next season.

NRSL in September (Weeks 26-31)

P W D L F A Pts

MWOS 6 5 1 0 11 3 16

Scottland 5 4 1 0 8 3 13

Ngezi Under-19 6 4 1 1 7 3 13

Banket United 6 3 2 1 7 3 11

Black Mambas 6 3 1 2 5 4 10

Black Rhinos 6 3 1 2 7 7 10

Trojan Stars 6 2 3 1 5 4 9

Karoi United 5 2 2 1 3 2 8

PAM FC 6 2 2 2 2 3 8

Chinhoyi Stars 6 2 1 3 6 5 7