Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE Eastern Region Division One race for the sole premiership promotion ticket was blown wide open, and Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash, pitting FC Wangu Mazodze and Tenax FC might be the title decider.
The match will have a bearing on which team may finally clinch the coveted title.
Three teams – log leaders, FC Wangu Mazodze, Tenax FC (second) and Triangle FC (third) have realistic chances of winning the title.
Tenax FC, who failed to gain premiership promotion following dramatic events in last year’s Eastern Region championship race, look set to take this year’s title race to the wire.
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services are a paltry two points behind FC Wangu Mazodze, with 12 more points still to play for in the remaining FOUR rounds of league fixtures.
That the two teams – Tenax FC and FC Wangu Mazodze – will face off this weekend in Masvingo, give yet another intriguing twist to the 2024 Eastern Region Division One title race.
Last Sunday, Tenax FC made light of Chiredzi Stars at Chisamba Ground in Sakubva, winning the encounter three-nil, while FC Wangu Mazodze suffered a morale sapping 0-2 defeat at the hands of Hunters FC in Marondera.
Tenax FC chairman, Stefani Masina believes his team still has a chance to win the 2024 title race, given the slim gap between them and the log leaders.
Masina said his players are geared to prove a point, and morale is high in the camp.
“We are still in the title race. We are not yet out considering that we have reduced the gap from 14 points to just two points. We will be playing against the log leaders in our next assignment.
“Our boys are in high spirits, brilliant form and taking every remaining game seriously. Out of the last 15 games, we lost only once, drew once and won 13 matches, which speaks volumes about our seriousness as we head towards the end of the 2024 season,” said Masina.
After their derby triumph over Masvingo United a fortnight ago, the Kingdom Boys, as FC Wangu Mazodze are affectionately known by their legions of followers, fell to FC Hunters at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera last Sunday.
The slip-up had a negative impact on their title aspirations, given that mathematically, that defeat can spell doom for them in the event that Tenax wins all their remaining four matches.
Triangle-based and the Luke Masomere-coached Triangle FC are also still in the picture.
Apparently it is Triangle that has lesser burden in terms of remaining opponents.
Eastern Region Division One League top three remaining fixtures:
FC Wangu Mazodze: Tenax (home); Mutare City Rovers (away); St Paul’s Musami (home); Surrey (home)
Tenax FC: FC Wangu Mazodze (away); bye; Huku (away); Renco (home)
Triangle United: Midway (away); Destiny (home); Manica Diamonds Juniors (away); Rusitu Tigers (home).
