Story by Mthokozisi Dube
THE first half of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season had its fair share of thrills and spills, but it is done and dusted, and the focus is now on the second half.
Big guns have failed to punch above their weight, finding themselves occupying the bottom half of the PSL ladder.
Only FC Platinum has managed to protect its unbeaten run, while debutants MWOS surrendered their record on the last day of the first half, also getting dislodged from the top by defending champions, Simba Bhora.
Football stakeholders believe the first half has brought the beauty associated with the beautiful game.
“It has been quite an exciting first half of the season. Look at the traditional perennial campaigners like Dynamos, Highlanders, and CAPS United. They are not really performing to expectations. But for the newcomers, if you look at Scottland and MWOS, these are division one teams that are doing well, save for Kwekwe United, whose performance is compromised due to financial challenges. Overall, I think it has been a good and exciting season,” Football Coach, Dalubuhle Bhebhe said.
The sports journalist, Praise Dhlakama says, It is exciting that teams coming from division one, playing for the first time in the Premier League, are part of the leading pack, and you have got MWOS in second place.
“They have led throughout the season and that defeat against Ngezi which they lost. I think it brings excitement and the atmosphere to Ngoni stadium. It is something different for our league. I am really looking forward to seeing where they will finish come the end of the season. You talk of Scottland in the top four and with the quality that they have, they should be at the top at this stage, but they are still within striking distance. I think if we had asked for a prediction for the top four at the beginning of the season, no one would have predicted MWOS. So I think we are going to witness an exciting second half,” he said.
Gweru-based side TelOne managed to regroup this season, turning discarded striker Washington Navaya into a leading marksman, scoring 10 goals.
On the darker side of things, two matches involving Scottland, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum and Dynamos were abandoned, while officials were brought to book for bringing the game into disrepute.
