Masvingo United Football Club fans are on the brink of celebrating and are optimistic that their team will return to the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League next year as they are currently on top of the Eastern Region Division One league table.
The team settled on the apex of the league table last weekend with only one game to go, raising hope that they will soon grace the country’s premier soccer league to face popular clubs like Dynamos, Highlanders, FC Platinum, ZPC Kariba, Caps United, Chicken Inn and several others.
With only one game to go, Una Una, as they are affectionately known, are facing Mutoko Traders FC.
Masvingo United used to play in the top division in Zimbabwean football, but were for the third time relegated to Division One at the end of the 2011 season.
The club was once bankrolled by Mr. Tanda Tavaruva and Sons, who used to own one of the largest fleet of buses in Zimbabwe. The club was established in the year 1997.
Una Una needs to bag three points to gain premiership promotion without hassles or a draw if the other two teams contesting for the same spot, Mutare City and Hartley Academy, which are on second and third place respectively, are to lose or draw in their last assignments.
Hartley and Mutare City still have chances to gain promotion if Masvingo United loses and they win their last matches.
But Masvingo United fans are already in celebration mood, expressing confidence that their team will win on Sunday to return to premier league soccer.
Emilia Gonese says she’s confident that the Una Una boys will make it come Sunday.
“My desire is that the boys will succeed in Mutoko and we bring back premiership soccer to Mucheke. I believe we will beat Mutoko and return the old glorious days of joy at our home ground winning matches in the premier league.”
Other supporters said they can’t wait to get back into their traditional hunting ground - Mucheke Stadium – come next season, for premier league matches.
Such is their confidence that parties are already planned everywhere around Masvingo town to celebrate the promotion.
Peter Guyo of Rujeko suburb is expecting nothing less but a return to top flight soccer by Una Una.
Cosmas Nharo, another fan, concurs, adding he doesn’t expect the team to disappoint in the last minute allowing them to also enjoy the company of big teams like Dynamos, Caps United and Highlanders.
“I am optimistic that Masvingo will bounce back to the premier soccer league and we are happy that we will be seeing big matches again at Mucheke Stadium. This will also help not only in entertaining us supporters but will boost business in the city.”
Masvingo United team manager, Phillip Shumba, although expressing confidence that his boys will triumph over Mutoko, is urging supporters to remain clam until the game is over on Sunday.
“I urge them to keep clam. We can only celebrate after Sunday. We do not want to put unnecessary pressure on our players and therefore we cannot celebrate prematurely. We have done well in our preparations and we can beat any team including Mutoko Traders and we are confident of bringing back the needed three points to Masvingo.”
The supporters, however, cannot wait for the final whistle on Sunday. This place will explode if Una Una gains automatic promotion – everyone is waiting expectantly.
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
Report by Gandri Maramba on Masvingo United Football Club