Trust Rukwava
Centre News Sport Hub
The curtain came down on the Division One Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League 2025 without a team from Masvingo province gaining promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) painting yet another gloomy picture on the local football landscape.
Only Masvingo United fought with a lion heart from the word go and gave league winners Hunters FC and runners up, Texan Fc a good run for their money.
Una Una had reignited hopes of watching top flight soccer at Mucheke stadium since kissing good bye to the top league almost a decade and half ago.
It was however a proverbial case of so near yet so far as they were once title favourites but faltered in their last 3 matches.
Una Una finished third in the race with a tally of 63 points falling 5 points behind champions FC Hunters and 2 points from second placed Tenax FC.
Masvingo United spokesperson Omen Mafa said they fought hard for the title since the first day although they did not get the crown.
“It was an exciting season. We were in the race right from the first match. We gave a good fight. They (Hunters FC) did not get the sole ticket on a silver platter.
It was a unique season in that league had a sponsor. We want to thank Pacific Storm. Coming to the field of play, we had no issues in the manner in which referees handled our matches. As a club, we are regrouping. Our eyes are on securing the same ticket to PSL next season. We still believe we can.” said Mafa.
FC Wangu Mazodze another Masvingo team known for its flamboyance had a season to forget after finishing ninth in the race.
The Kingdom Boys accumulated 36 points and could not emulate their run from the previous two seasons in which they finished as runners up.
The Drama packed team as usual gave the league some lighter and anxious moments following controversial intentions to pull out of the league.
The controversies resulted in mass exodus of executive members who accused the owner of running a one man show.
FC Wangu Mazodze spokesperson Courage Kandira said they had a decent season despite changing the technical team on numerous occasions.
“As a club we are happy with the progress we made after so many changes to our technical team. We managed to regroup and we are fairly impressed by the progress made this season. We are also grateful to Pacific’s sponsorship it helped to put our region back on the map after many years without a sponsor. We saw competitive football from teams and congratulations to Hunters Fc. It’s a deserved promotion. Looking forward, as a club we have already rolled plans into next season, starting by re installing Madam Mazodze as the club vice president.”
Kandira further said the club will announce a new hierarchy in due course.
“We are also working on bringing in a new executive, experienced personnel to rebrand our club. Also soon we will appoint a coach so work begins immediately. Expect fireworks next season. It’s a promise” added Kandira.
Great Zimbabwe University FC survived the chop after finishing eleventh with 27 points in a season they spent the greater part battling relegation.
Efforts to get a comment from GZU FC official Xavier Poshiwa were futile as he had not responded to questions send to him by the time of going to print.
Another Masvingo province team Renco succumbed to the relegation machete after they finished 3rd from the bottom with a paltry 22 points. Renco mine will battle it out with lowly ranked teams in the unfashionable Divisions 2 soccer league to return to PSERSL in 2027
