Times Of Swaziland: GANDAGANDA’ CRANKS, DENTS LEOPARD TITLE CHASE

GANDAGANDA’ CRANKS, DENTS LEOPARD TITLE CHASE
================================================================================
BY NTOKOZO MAGONGO on 15/05/2019 00:25:00


‘R. Leopard..........(1)1
Edoa-Nga 34th
Matsapha Utd... (0)1
Nsiah 84th
LOBAMBA - A 34th minute header into goal by striker Richard Edoa-Nga was not
enough to hand Royal Leppard the MTN Premier League title last night.
It had been all good by half time as second-placed chasers Green Mamba went to
the break with Tambuti goalless.
However, the joy at Lobamba was short-lived as they soon learnt Green Mamba had
broken the deadlock to set things back to normal, two points difference going
into the final games this weekend.
Leopard had hoped to win it last night as the last game is a tough one for them
- they play third-placed Young Buffaloes but the latter is out of the title
race. For that to happen, they needed to win but allowed Matsapha back into the
game in the last 10 minutes when the visiting side scored through midfielder
Emmanuel Nsiah while also hoping  Green Mamba lose or draw.
Meanwhile, it’s down to the wire in as far as the championship is concerned.
Edoa-Nga will still have some work to do against Buffaloes if he is to return
home with a gold medal and it will no longer be completely in their hands -
Matsapha have hugely dented their chances, especially if Green Mamba win against
Mbabane Highlanders this weekend and they fail to stop Buffaloes, who recently
edged them 1-0 in the EswatiniBank Cup finals.
In his goal last night, he nodded over the advancing goalkeeper Innocent Obodai
Adja after a defensive blunder as what appeared an easy ball to clear was left
to take a bump and tall as the striker is, he got ahead and brilliantly nodded
it into the back of the net.
Break
Matsapha returned from the break an improved side but had to take some early
pressure from Leopard with their keeper pulling two good saves to deny Barry
Steemkamp and Lungelo Tsabedze before gunning for that equalising goal, which
earned them a crucial point to confirm their elite status next season.