The 2024/25 season in England’s lower tiers concluded over the weekend, with several Zimbabwean players experiencing heartbreak.

In the English Championship, Marvelous Nakamba’s Luton Town, Brendan Galloway’s Plymouth Argyle, and Andy Rinomhota’s Cardiff City finished in the bottom three, confirming their relegation to League One.

Rinomhota played the full 90 minutes as Cardiff City suffered a 4-2 defeat against Norwich City.

Nakamba missed the final match against West Brom due to injury and was an unused substitute in the previous two games.

Galloway also missed Plymouth’s last game, a 2-1 loss to Leeds United, because of a long-term injury.

In League One, Tivonge Rushesha’s Reading FC saw their hopes of reaching the promotional play-offs dashed after a 4-2 defeat to Barnsley on the final day.
Rushesha started the match and played for 57 minutes.

Fellow Zimbabwean Tawanda Chirewa was an unused substitute in Huddersfield Town’s final game, a 4-1 loss to Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Chirewa is set to return to his parent club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, following the end of his loan spell.

Marshall Munetsi retained his place in Wolves’ starting XI, which fell to a 1-0 defeat against Manchester City in the Premier League.

In the Scottish Premiership, Tawanda Maswanhise scored a stoppage-time winner to secure top-flight safety for Motherwell in a 2-1 victory at Dundee.

Dundee took a half-time lead through Antonio Portales before Tom Sparrow equalized for Motherwell.

Maswanhise, introduced as a second-half substitute, headed in the decisive goal, marking his ninth direct goal involvement—six goals and three assists—in his debut top-flight season with Motherwell.

The win moved Motherwell 10 points clear of second-bottom Ross County with three games remaining.

Elsewhere, Jordan Zemura was named on the Udinese bench but did not play in their 2-1 win against Cagliari in Serie A, while Bill Antonio made a cameo appearance in KV Mechelen’s 2-1 victory at Oud-Heverlee Leuven in the Belgian Pro League.