KWEKWE United are two games away from ending the “City of Gold's” wait for Premier Soccer League football.
The last team from Kwekwe to play in the topflight were the now-defunct Lancashire Steel.
Since Lancashire Steel Football Club were relegated in 2008, the 5 000-seater Baghdad Stadium which at one point was a centre of fascinating topflight battles has become a white elephant.
Kwekwe’s football demise began in 1999 when ZiscoSteel FC, a yesteryear football force that benefited from Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company funds was relegated from the Premier Soccer League.
Army side Tongogara went down in 2000, with Chrome Stars following suit three years later before Kwekwe Cables were bundled out a year later.
Today, three rounds of fixtures remain before the Zifa Central Region Division One League curtains come down in what has been a riveting tussle between Kwekwe United and armyside Tongogara FC.
On Saturday, Kwekwe United beat Gokwe United 1-0, while their rivals Tongogara FC were left to rue missed chances after being held to a 0-0 draw by ZRP Gwanda.
With 68 points on their tally, Kwekwe United can end the season with 74 points if they win all the remaining two games.
Second-placed Tongogara FC have 63 points on their tally and can only end the season with 72 points.
As such, they are praying that Kwekwe United drop points in either of their two games.
If Kwekwe United sail through, they will ultimately quench the city’s thirst for PSL football, having been starved since Lancashire Steel were relegated in 2008, the last team from the city in the PSL.
Moreso, this means that the next three weeks will be crucial for coach Prince Matore as they face a tricky away trip to Black Eagles on the weekend of November 2 to 3.
They will be on bye on Week 33 fixtures, which will be played on the weekend of November 9 to 10.
They will finish off the campaign away to FC Platinum Under-19 at Mandava Stadium on the weekend of November 16 to 17. On the other hand, Tongogara are faced with an away fixture to Wangu Mazodze City on the weekend of November 2 to 3.
They will host Sheasham on the weekend of November 9 to 10, before finishing off their 2024 campaign with a date against Beitbridge FC a week later.
