TSHOLOTSHO FC has made history by becoming the first club from a rural set-up in independent Zimbabwe to make it into the country’s top football league after gaining promotion to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL).
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The Lizwe Sweswe-coached side has made it into the PSL with a game remaining after contenders Technosphere were held to a goalless draw by New West City in Bulawayo on Sunday while Black Boots also played to a draw against Mpumalanga in Hwange on Saturday.
Now, Tsholotsho’s 54 point haul with a match remaining against Mpumalanga is unassailable with Technosphere and Black Boots tied on 49 points.
Zifa Southern Region chairman Musa Mandaza yesterday confirmed Tsholotsho as the champions.
“The die is cast and Tsholotsho has been promoted to the Premier Soccer League,” Mandaza said.
“It was an exciting season. Actually, history has been made by the Southern Region in that a team from a rural set-up gets to be promoted into the top league. We still have one round to finish off but I think it’s all over.”
Tsholotsho are excited to be in the PSL and have said they intend to play their games in the outlying rural area, but all eyes are on the side to see if there will be no repeat of the Plumtree Chiefs (then Bulawayo Chiefs) case, who won the championship last season and had promised Plumtree fans PSL action, but later their franchise went to Bantu Rovers after a merger.
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Unfortunately, for the club, there is no stadium that meets the minimum requirements to host a PSL team and White City Stadium in Bulawayo is their best bet for now. White City has undergone extensive renovations for the Region 5 Games.
Tsholotsho has been playing at that ground just close to the business centre, made popular by a Highlanders-Caps United match a decade ago arranged by Information minister Jonathan Moyo.
Tsholotsho FC chairman Mlamuli Phiri yesterday said they had engaged all stakeholders and all looked promising. They are definitely playing in top-flight next year.
“When you go into the Premiership it means money,” he said.
“It’s not just congratulations. People are busy celebrating at the moment and we are definitely playing in the PSL next year. The team has been an individual project (by Mandla Manyathela, a local businessman), but it is going to be difficult for him.
“It’s not official yet, but we are handing over the team to the community. The team has been presented to the community.
Phiri added: “We have met with businesspeople, politicians and councillors and everyone is excited. At the moment it looks promising. Council has given us a stand for the stadium. We are hoping to play in Tsholotsho and Bulawayo will be a second option. We hope we do not fail the people that have supported us.”
Coach Sweswe said it had been an arduous journey and the championship was well-deserved.
“I am very happy and what makes me even happier is that the patience has finally paid off with the little resources that we had,” he said.
“The project has seen hard work. We started with some of these players when they were 10 years old. In our first year (2012), when we tasted Division One, we set a two-year target.
“We were in position 10 in 2012 and in the second season we were in position five. I then told the boys that we had to push. We never lost a game in the first half of the season. Credit goes to the boys.”
The coach said he recruited some of his players from the Under-20 provincial team that he has coached before and paid tribute to Under-20 women’s coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda and Toronto coach Sakheleni Nxumalo whom he said had assisted him in building the team.
Some of the players at Tsholotsho, with an average age of 23 are goalkeeper Chang Marian, Thandolwenkosi Ncube, Nkosilathi Moyo, Butholweze Ncube, Ocean Ncube, top goal scorer Edmore Chirambadare, Mlamuli Phakathi, Chris Chitiyo and Rodrick Mufudza. Chirambadare has been targeted by Chicken Inn while former Tsholotsho gunman Kudzanai
Machazane joined Highlanders in mid-season.
From the Central Region, Whahwa has won promotion while Flame Lily and Buffalo Junior remain in contention for the Northern and Eastern Region slots, respectively.
