Zimpapers Sports Hub Correspondent
THE 2025 Southern Region Soccer League season has boosted several top-flight league teams with exciting prospects for the 2026 Castle Lager Premier League season.
The league’s two top goalscorers, Marcelline Mlilo (13 goals) and Anesu Saiti (12 goals), will be playing Premiership football, while Tino Chitete, who finished joint second-top goalscorer with Saiti, missed out on a move to Highlanders and will remain at Nkayi United.
Chitete has been a consistent feature in the top goalscorers for the past four seasons in the league since his days at Emakhandeni Pirates. Nkayi highly valued their scoring asset and he also attracted the attention of Chicken Inn last year, but the move didn’t materialise.
On the other hand, top goalscorer Mlilo secured a big move to Norton-based PSL hotshots MWOS FC.
The Lukhosi-born midfielder is a major scope for Lloyd Mutasa’s men and the 23-year-old was already drawing comparisons with Chipangano legend Carrington Gomba.
Saiti, who was signed by Bulawayo Chiefs mid-season after turning out for Bulawayo City in the first-half of the season, was undoubtedly one of the best players in the league. Endowed with pace and massive strength on the ball, PSL defenders will have a torrid time marking Saiti.
His move to Amakhosi Amahle was the deciding factor in tilting the scales in favour of John Nyikadzino’s charges in the title race.
Highlanders were the biggest beneficiaries of the SRSL products. The club’s marquee signing, Mongameli Tshuma, who was Hwange’s livewire scoring eight goals and several assists, has already whetted the appetite of the Bosso faithfuls. Tshuma, a dribbling wizard who plays with a smile on his face, will definitely be a player to watch in the 2026 PSL season.
Bosso also raided Chipangano for former Zebra Revolution skipper and centreback Tawanda Shenje, who captained Amadube Amahle to Division One league promotion in 2023 before being snapped by Hwange.
Bosso also signed the towering Rayton Chuma from Nust FC after the defender’s impressive season at the university side. The club is also set to recall Bosso 90 skipper Akim Nkomo, who played in the developmental side last season in the Division Nne league.
Hwange were the biggest losers in terms of losing players to the PSL, with right back Kelly Shiyandindi returning to Bulawayo after signing for champions Chiefs.
Nkayi also lost a number of players, with outstanding goalkeeper Delron Chuma securing a move to MWOS, where he will be under the tutelage of his father Tembo, the goalkeepers coach at the Punters.
Midfield workhorse Grant Chigwenhese, who was the mainstay in Nkayi’s promotion push, moved to Botswana Premier League outfit Nico United.
Nkayi fought hard to keep the league’s most creative player, Nhlanhla “Mzo” Fumapano, who had attracted a lot of interest, with Bulawayo Chiefs leading the race to sign the Chicken Inn juniors’ product.
They also returned the services of skipper Moreblessing Enersto, who had a wonderful 2025 season, together with Leeroy “Sparta” Ndlovu and Karel Jawa.
Photographer Winfrey Gumede, who has covered the league for a lengthy period, believes more players could have made it to the PSL if only top-flight clubs sent scouts to watch the matches. “Honestly, the 2025 season was no exception when it comes to the talent that we saw playing in the league. There are many good players, but if there’s no eye watching the talent, most players will remain in this league.
“The 2025 race was exciting and three teams were pushing for promotion. When you look at other teams like Bulawayo Warriors, Talen Vision, Bulawayo City, Megawatt and Mainline, who were outside the top, you realise they gave us entertainment provided by their players but they didn’t make any big moves,” he said.
The Southern Region Soccer League will host its annual general meeting (AGM) in mid-March as fans await the start of the 2026 season.
