Triangle United FC are happy to be back in the Premier League after their beat Chimanimani-based Rusitu Tigers FC 1-0 at Gibbo Stadium last week.
The Sugar Boys were crowned the Eastern Region Soccer League champions with a goal difference; 24 goals better than rivals FC Wangu Mazodze after both teams finished with 72 points.
FC Wangu Mazodze, who led from the beginning of the season and had a gap of more than 14 points at some point, failed for the second time to clinch the championship.
Triangle FC were relegated from top-flight football last year and have managed to make a quick return.
The Lowveld side started off the season on a bad note under the tutelage of Arthur Tutani before Luke “Vahombe” Masomere took over the team and promised to take the team back into the PSL, which he delivered.
The newly-promoted team's chairman Weston Jemwa was delighted with the team’s promotion into the top-flight league.
“We are very excited about this development, we are now back in the PSL, we fought until the end. We were working towards making sure the team gets promoted this year. There was a huge disappointment when the team was relegated. There is joy in the Lowveld and the country at large as we continue receiving congratulatory messages,” he said.
“We managed to maintain the momentum through the ability to correct and improve our mistakes after every game coupled with hard-work. Being close to the team and leading from the front helped us achieve our target. Of all the 32 matches played, I missed only one match against Chiredzi Stars so I managed to watch 31 matches. It means it was easier to review every match with the technical team and improve. The TUFC executive and all other stakeholders worked round the clock to ensure we are back in the PSL,” Jemwa said.
Jemwa recalled how they managed to pull off the miracle comeback to gain promotion ahead of Wangu Mazodze.
“Firstly, we believed in God that we would regain promotion back into PSL. Secondly, we changed the technical team after eight matches and engaged Luke Masomere. We signed eight new players during the July window period; mostly attacking midfielders and strikers. There was an incentive on goals scored as we realised that goal difference may count at the end season and it paid off. Our sponsor Tongaat Hullet kept urging us to go for the PSL promotion. It was a dramatic and miraculous comeback for us,” said Jemwa.
He thanked their fans for their continued support as they kept supporting the team even when the team was trailing behind the log leaders by 17 points.
Jemwa spoke about the target in the premier league next season.
“In 2025, we promise to do our best. It is not going to be easy, but we would like to be one of the permanent teams in PSL beyond 2025. The relegation taught us a number of lessons which we will work on to remain afloat,” said the chairman.