Times Of Swaziland: ‘SIKHALI’ TAKES ‘BULL’ TO SECOND SPOT

‘SIKHALI’ TAKES ‘BULL’ TO SECOND SPOT
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BY SABELO NDZINISA on 07/04/2021 07:45:00


MANZINI – Win pretty, win ugly, just win Mbabane Highlanders.
This is the motto Mbabane Highlanders seemed to have adopted yesterday after
defying all odds to force a not-so-convincing 1-0 win over a rather unlucky
Milling Hotspurs in an MTN Premier League encounter at the Mavuso Sports Centre.
It may not have been a pretty performance by their expected standards but the
end result proved pretty effective for the black and white Mbabane giants as the
win means they are now joint leaders with Tinyosi FC at the summit of the log
table with eight points apiece after four games played. Tinyosi however enjoy a
better goal difference than Highlanders. Striker Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa
came off the bench to score the decisive goal in the second half from the
penalty spot after the troublesome Siphosethu ‘Mjovo’ Mlotsa was brought
down inside the box in the 58th minute.
Tally
The goal takes ‘Sikhali’s tally to three in the three games he has featured
for the ‘Black Bull’, proving a worthy acquisition for Highlanders so far.
In all honesty, the end result was not a true reflection of the entire
proceedings as Milling Hotspurs matched their opponents pound for pound but
their let down was finishing in the last third of the pitch. For Highlanders,
the important thing was the maximum points which ensured that they are yet to
taste defeat in the league this season. The scoreline could have actually read
differently had Highlanders scored a second questionable penalty awarded to them
by referee Thulani Sibandze in the 85th minute. Substitute Kenneth Moloto was
given the honours to take the spot kick but his shot was stopped by Milling’s
goalkeeper Mlungisi Mamba to bring a bit of justice to the Manzini based side,
who clearly felt hard-done by the referee’s decision. All in all, it was a
game of two halves as Highlanders enjoyed the better of the proceedings in the
first half but breaking the Milling’s resolute defence proved a tedious task.
Mjovo was the main live-wire for Highlanders as he tormented the opposition’s
defence everytime he was in possession of the ball…what an exciting talent! He
set up Xolani ‘Papi’ Sikhondze with a good chance to score in the 20th
minute, but the industrious midfielder fired his shot over the bar at close
range. Ghanaian striker Johnson Mensah also had a good game as he ran tiresssly
at the Milling defence, but his final touch let him down.
Towards the dying minutes of the game, Milling were pressing hard for the equal