THE just-concluded 2024 edition of the Northern Region Division One Soccer League will linger long in the minds of the hordes that followed its proceedings after it served up probably the most entertaining competition for the prized ticket to the premier soccer league.
It served a level of competition never seen before in this division and the unpredictability turned many heads and kept throngs gripped.
There was top-level competition in what was a topsy-turvy season which won the league more admirers and attracted good crowds.
Scottland were crowned the winners, although they could be stripped of the title depending on the outcome of a hearing over a match involving the Pedzisai Sakupwanya's side and Karoi.
Mwos have a chance of clinching the title if things go their way.
Of course that case will form part of the narrative of the 2024 campaign, but what will be remembered the most is how Harare City made a blistering start and were hot favourites to return to the elite league until they lost they coach and slipped out of the title matrix.
It will be remembered for the two-horse race for the title between Scottland and Mwos, which then ended in a photo finish and how Black Rhinos led for a while then limped off at the wrong time to fall far short.
When Herbert Maruwa packed his bags and left Harare City for the greener pastures of the premier league in May, the team found itself on a greasy pole sliding down despite determined efforts to stay atop.
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He had presided over six wins and their only minor blemish was a draw having gone unbeaten in that frenetic start.
With 19 points in the bag, they were three points ahead of Lloyd Mutasa’s Mwos, who were sniffing around and waiting for an opportunity to pounce.
Harare City eventually finished 4th and some 22 points behind the champions having won 18 matches, drawn 11 and lost nine.
With Rhinos having gone to the mid-season break sitting at the apex of the table, it is fair to say they might have lost the championship in the mid-season transfer window where they were robbed of key players and then couldn’t live with both Mwos and Scottland’s form.
They were six points ahead of Mwos midway through the season but in the end they finished 19 points adrift the champions.
Both Scottland and Mwos caught fire in the second half of the term as their battle for supremacy meant they both ill-afforded any slip ups.
The two teams went unbeaten in the second part of the season with Scottland notching up 15 wins and four draws dropping just eight points in the 19 matches while Mwos had 14 wins and six draws dropping 12 points in the process.
In the first half, Scottland scored 23 goals from 19 matches shipping in just 11 while in the second they almost doubles their goals tally scoring 43 while allowing in 10 at their end.
Mwos were also brilliant as they banged in 47 goals while conceding 10 goals as the race heated up.
Golden Eagles who have been competitive over the last few seasons were somewhere in the zone finishing with 62 points even though they never looked like they could take it.
It was Norton Community’s spectacular collapse that caught the eye.
They were seven points above the relegation zone at the halfway stage of the season but were relegated after picking up just 13 points in the second half.
Norton Community are among the only four clubs to ship in above 50 goals during the season. The other teams in that hall of shame are DZ Royals and CCLEE Mhangura who will be both playing division two football next year as well as Zambezi C&G which somehow survived the chop having been waist deep in the relegation waters midway through the season.
