Times Of Swaziland: TOUGH DRAW FOR CHAMPS ‘BUFFS’

TOUGH DRAW FOR CHAMPS ‘BUFFS’
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BY ASHMOND NZIMA on 14/01/2020 06:27:00


MBABANE – Holders Young Buffaloes should buckle up for a stern test in the
quarter-finals of the Ingwenyama Cup on Saturday.
Hoodoo side and fellow security forces ensemble Green Mamba stand in the way of
Dominic Kunene’s men following pairings made at sponsor Sincephetelo Motor
Vehicle Accident Fund head office in Mbabane yesterday. Green Mamba are not only
unbeaten in three straight matches against Buffaloes but are also the only team
to have recorded a win against ‘Amathole Ezinyathi’ this season following a
1-0 league victory back on November 30 last year.
The last time Buffaloes celebrated a win in this fixture was on penalties (5-3).
It was the 2018 EswatiniBank Cup semi-final which had ended 2-all after extra
time.
The two sides came first out during yesterday’s open draw (no seeding) and
there were cheers from the rest of the teams who were still in the pot after
this pairing, especially the duo of Manzini Wanderers and Mbabane Highlanders.
The two big guns avoided each other.
draw
According to the draw, Highlanders, Wanderers and Moneni Pirates will face
National First Division sides in Madlenya, Tambankulu Callies and Seven Dreams,
in that order. Highlanders are fresh from causing the biggest upset of the
tournament by eliminating three-time champions Mbabane Swallows with a 1-0 win
two days ago. Their next opponents are joint second on the National First
Division chart.
For Wanderers, who eliminated neighbours Denver Sundowns on penalties, they face
Tambankulu Callies, who are on top in the country’s football second-tier. The
latter were relegated from top flight football at the end of the 2011/12 season
and had lost 1-4 to Wanderers before going down. The reverse fixture had ended
in a goalless draw.