COMPETITION in the country’s four Division One Soccer Leagues gets hotter with teams aiming for promotion into the top flight.
Four teams are promoted into the premiership – one team from each Division One Region.
In the Southern Region Division One Soccer League, Black Boots Football Club are topping the log with 42 points from 21 games. They are enjoying a three-point gap ahead of Technosphere who have a game in hand.
The ZRP owned outfit will need to maintain the form that saw them topping the 13-team log. Competition is tight in the league as a victory for Technosphere and Tsholotsho in their next matches will result in changes on the log standings.
Technosphere will move to the top of the ladder on superior goal difference. They have a +21 goal difference that will see them occupying the first position if they win the next fixture. Tsholotsho have a goal difference of +17 while log leaders have +15.
Plumtree Chiefs, formerly Bulawayo Chiefs are occupying fourth position on the log with 37 points. The team won the sole ticket into the premiership last season but sold their franchise to Bantu Rovers who might be relegated from the premiership.
With about five games before the season ends, the battle is now for the top five teams.
Prison wardens Ntabazinduna still have chances to make it to the top with their 37 points from 20 games they have amassed.
However, the road back to the premiership is not rosy for Quelaton. They are occupying the lower echelons of the log and on the brink of relegation to Second Division.
They are currently on position 12 with 15 points from 20 matches.
In the Eastern Region Division One, Buffalo Juniors’ 2-0 win over ZRP Masvingo propelled them to the top of the log. The away victory opened a one point lead ahead of Mutare City Rovers.
The municipal side won 2-1 against Gaza Gunners in the last match.
The competition is now a two-horse race between Mutare City and Buffalo Juniors guaranteeing Mutare of a derby next season.
Eastern Stars and Masvingo United have slim chances of winning the title. With six games before the curtain comes down, Buffalo Juniors need to remain focused to realise the premiership dream.
Five teams are aiming for the promotion into the premiership in the Central Region Division One Soccer League.
Whawha, Midlands State University (MSU), ZRP Beitbridge, Chrome Stars and Gweru City are on each other’s heels separated by a point. Prison wardens Whawha are on 46 points while Gweru City are on position five with 41 points.
Four games remain in the league. MSU students are on the verge of qualifying but have Whawha standing in their way. A qualification of either Whawha or MSU will guarantee Gweru of a derby if Chapungu survive relegation in the top flight.
ZRP Beitbridge have a chance to bring back premiership action back to Dulibadzimu Stadium if they manage to depose the two top teams on the log.
However, pundits say the number of teams plying their trade in the First Division are too many compromising on quality. Others argue that there should be 16 teams that make up the First Division and have it played at national level not per region.