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Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
AJAX Hotspurs were crowned champions of the Zifa Bulawayo Division Two league with a game to spare following a 3-1 win over Emakhandeni Pirates in Mpopoma on Saturday.

Goals by Maxwell Mburayi, Keith Miti and Butho Phiri gave the Mpopoma-based side maximum points.

The result placed Ajax on the verge of making history by finishing the Division Two season unbeaten and gained promotion to the Zifa Southern Region Division One League next season together with second-placed Arenel Movers.

Ajax top the league table with 67 points from 19 wins and 10 draws. Their final game of the season is against third-placed Chicken Inn.

Arenel Movers overcame How Mine 2-0 to finish the season on 65 points from 20 wins, five draws and five losses.

Despite acknowledging that they owe Zifa Bulawayo Province around $800 in affiliation fees, Ajax Hotspurs founding director Siphambaniso Dube said they are looking forward to playing in the First Division next year.

“We had a great season and right now we are awaiting Zifa deliberations on some outstanding issues. We are aware that we still owe Zifa, but we are certainly going to clear everything to ensure our promotion to Division One next season,” said Dube.

He also lamented failure by Premier Soccer League clubs to pay developmental fees, which he believes is crippling football at the grassroots level.

“As much as we owe Zifa, big clubs that owe us must also be pushed to pay their dues. As Ajax we are being owed close to $12 000 in developmental fees by big clubs, which if paid in full, all our problems will disappear. We are appealing to Zifa to push those clubs so that we get appreciation for our efforts as a junior club.

“Junior teams invest a lot when players are still playing in the lower leagues, so it’s only noble for big teams to appreciate our hard work in grooming players for them. I don’t want to mention those teams, but we have been writing letters reminding them to pay developmental fees to no avail.

What we owe Zifa is a drop in the ocean compared to what we are being owed,” said Dube.

Ajax have produced top talent, such as Divine Lunga, who now plays for South African Premiership side Lamontville Golden Arrows, Highlanders’ defender Peter Muduhwa, Denzel Khumalo, Mbongeni Ndlovu and Chrispen Machisi.

Arenel Movers treasurer and coordinator Ngonidzashe Madawu said they were looking forward to playing in the First Division next year.

“We would like to express our gratitude to our players, supporters and sponsors who believed in us up to now. We are aware that Division One is financially demanding, but soon we will be meeting with our sponsors then we will release an official statement with regards to the club’s future,” said Madawu.

Results

-Mpopoma Pirates 2-3 Lobengula Stars

-East Rovers 1-1 Zenzele Tigers

-The Bantu Academy 1-3 White Birds

-Sabona Mzilikazi 0-3 CS Distributors

-FMSA Umguza 0-2 Quality Green

-How Mine 0-2 Arenel Movers

-Ajax Hotspurs 3-1 Emakhandeni Pirates

-Chicken Inn 3-0 Las Palmas

                            Table
      P W D L F A Pts
Ajax Hotspurs 29 19 10 0 56 14 67
Arenel Movers 30 20 5 5 54 28 65
Chicken Inn 29 18 7 4 50 19 61
White Birds 30 15 8 7 52 43 53
How Mine 30 15 4 11 48 43 49
FMSA Umguza 29 13 6 10 60 41 45
Emakhandeni Pirates 29 13 6 10 45 39 45
Quality Green 30 11 9 10 39 34 42
Mpopoma Pirates 30 10 10 10 43 47 40
The Bantu Academy 30 9 5 16 39 52 32
CS Distributors 30 8 5 17 39 64 29
East Rovers 30 6 9 15 27 45 27
Lobengula Stars 30 6 9 15 37 48 27
Sabona Mzilikazi 30 8 3 19 36 62 27
Zenzele Tigers 30 6 8 16 35 59 26
Las Palmas 30 6 6 18 30 52 24