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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE Zifa Southern Region Division One League will relegate two clubs and promote four to come up with a 16-team league for the 2020 season.

The Zifa Southern Region executive met at the weekend and resolved to axe two sides, unless Bulawayo Chiefs and Hwange are relegated from the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

“It was resolved that two teams will be relegated if we don’t get any team or teams from the Premier Soccer League. What happens is that when we promote the champions and add the two relegated teams, we will be left with 12 teams. Then four teams will be promoted, two coming from the Zifa Bulawayo Division Two League and two from Zifa Matabeleland North Division Two League,” said Fiso Siziba, a Zifa Southern Region board member.

“We want a 16-team competitive league, rather than have 18 teams with compromised quality. We’re aware of the 2017 resolution to have an 18-team league and we will consider that number in the event that a team from the PSL is relegated,” he said.

As it stands, the bottom side Toronto has been relegated from the Southern Region Division One League heading into the final weekend of the season.

The Pumula East side is on 20 points, with a goal difference of -48. Second from the bottom Arenel Movers are on 20 points with a goal difference of -20 and should they spring a shocker and beat table toppers Bulawayo City, who need a point to secure a PSL ticket, they will take their points tally to 23.

Also on 23 points, with a goal difference of -31, is army-backed side Moto Moto. The soldiers need just a point against Casmyn to guarantee themselves a place in the First Division.

Meanwhile, ZPC Hwange dislodged town rivals Makomo from third place after edging Bosso 90 2-1. Makomo went down 1-2 at home to another army side Indlovu Iyanyathela to slip into fourth.

Indlovu Iyanyathela have positioned themselves well for a top four finish, as the weekend victory took their points’ tally to 42, three points behind fourth-placed Makomo, who face championship hopefuls, Talen Vision, on the last day of the season.

Vision were inactive at the weekend, with the programme reserved for outstanding matches. Victory for Vision and defeat for City on the final day of the season will see the former dramatically winning the championship.

Binga Pirates bagged three points on a 3-0 score line without kicking a ball after Plumtree-based Mainline failed to turn up for the fixture in Binga.

Results

Saturday: Makomo 1-2 Indlovu Iyanyathela, Casmyn 1-1 Ajax Hotspurs, Binga Pirates 3-0 Mainline, ZPC Hwange 2-1 Bosso 90

Table

  P W D L F A GD Pts

Bulawayo City 27 19 7 1 57 9 48 64

Talen Vision 27 18 8 1 65 12 53 61

ZPC Hwange 27 13 9 5 30 13 17 48

Makomo 27 12 9 6 39 24 15 45

I/Iyanyathela 27 11 9 7 29 16 13 42

Bosso 90 27 10 10 7 35 30 5 40

CIWU 27 10 8 9 30 29 1 38

Ajax Hotspurs 27 10 5 12 33 33 0 35

Binga Pirates 27 9 6 12 26 38 -12 33

Casmyn 27 7 6 14 25 34 -9 27

Mainline 27 5 10 12 20 36 -16 25

Mosi Rovers 28 6 7 15 19 40 -21 25

Motomoto 27 5 8 14 20 51 -31 23

Arenel Movers 27 3 11 13 21 41 -20 20

Toronto 27 4 8 15 19 67 -48 20

– @ZililoR