Times Of Swaziland: ‘BULL’ BEAT MOZ SIDE AHEAD OF BIG DERBY

‘BULL’ BEAT MOZ SIDE AHEAD OF BIG DERBY
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BY CHRIS DLAMINI on 14/09/2018 03:25:00


MBABANE – It’s a morale boosting win ahead of the land’s biggest fixture
in the MTN Premier League this Sunday.
Giants Mbabane Highlanders, who have become a complete star-studded side this
season following their eight signings from Matsapha United and South African
winger Sihle Ndaba while retaining their regulars last season, had a
muscle-flexing international friendly in Mozambique last Thursday.
They were playing against Liga Desportiva, one of the top division sides in
Maputo that has already drawn once and lost once to Costa Do Sol in their
league. Highlanders proved a little too much for their rivals as they outfoxed
them to a 3-0 win.
Scoring for Highlanders were the usual suspects in South African striker Thabiso
Mokenkoane, winger and Captain Xolani ‘Chocco’ Sibandze and striker Sidumo
Shongwe.
They have already had a taste of what this game will be like this season in the
Eswatini Telecom Charity Cup 2018. They met in the final of the preseason
tournament and Swallows narrowly won it 2-1 with a last minute effort from their
talented and veteran winger and Skipper Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze.
Highlanders had travelled to Maputo in the absence of their head coach Mlungisi
‘Professor’ Ngubane, who returned to the country from home in South Africa
on Tuesday. His assistant Bongani Mhlongo was leading the team.
While they could be getting ready for the start of the season, Swallows have
been busy in the TOTAL CAF Champions League where they graciously bowed out in
Angola just recently in the group stages. They will bring that form which comes
also from fairly a new-look team for coach Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakati after
losing key players to South African teams.
He will now look up to youngster Richard Mccreesh and Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu
in midfield while Tony Tsabedze and Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko lead the
attack from the wings. They also have signed Xolani ‘Papi’ Sikhondze and
Phumlani Mkhwanazi, who are both good players in their defensive midfield and
attacking midfielder roles respectively.