Times Of Swaziland: BUFFS CEMENT CONFED SPOT

BUFFS CEMENT CONFED SPOT
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BY PHOLSILE HLOPHE on 12/08/2021 08:29:00


NHLANGANO - MTN Premier League top goalscorer Phiwayinkhosi Dlamini’s brace
cemented Young Buffaloes’ CAF Confederations Cup spot when they beat Manzini
Sea Birds 4-2 here yesterday afternoon.
A remarkable league wrap up for the army side premonitioned early into the match
as Dlamini lived up to his reputation and tapped in a cross from Sandile
Gamedze. Retaliation from the opposition’s Captain Muzi Tsabedze was off
target in pursuit of an equaliser seven minutes later. Sprinting from the centre
of the pitch, Buffaloes’ Sihlangu Mkhwanazi stitched a fire ball into the back
of the net from 25 yards to make it 2-0 before the quarter-hour mark. Sea
Birds’ quick as a silver Thembumenzi Mayisela was shown a yellow card for foul
play. Buffaloes dominated the first half but tables turned when Sea Birds
Mthokozisi Gwebu planted a penalty past Buffaloes’ second choice goalkeeper
Phumlani Ngobese, scoring three minutes into the second half.
Veteran player Xolani Sibandze quickly closed in the gap and levelled matters
seven minutes later to make it 2-2 and scored from outside the box. The sea
birds’ reformation was a challenge for Buffaloes and the strong easterly winds
seemed to be working against them. A frustrated Kwakhe Mthethwa was cautioned by
referee Wandile Mamba for a bad tackle on Sea Birds’ Xolani Sibandze. The
phrase ‘from a frying pan into the fire’ lived to be true for Sibandze who
went into an alarming head-on-collision with team player Sibusiso Dlamini soon
after escaping the perilous tackle from Mthethwa and had to be substituted as
team officials rushed him out of the field for quick medical attention.
Penalty
Sea Birds’ Jabulani Mabuza cost his team a penalty after forcing Kwakhe to the
ground. Expectedly so,  the entrusted league top goalscorer pinned his 23rd goal
upon taking the penalty shot which sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and
Buffaloes celebrated 3-2 lead in the last 11minutes. Another reputable striker
Ndoda Mtsetfwa hammered the final nail in the coffin and took one home upon
receiving a cross from Manqoba Mavimbela with only three minutes remaining
before the final whistle. Buffaloes 4-2 victory confirmed them as the MTN
Premier League 2020/2021 season’s runners-up behind champions Royal Leopard 
to earn them a ticket to make their fifth appearance in  the CAF Confederations
Cup tournament. They finished the league with 59 goals in the bag and managed to
win 22 of 30 games with two defeats and six draws. This was Sea Birds’ 12th
defeat of the season following a 3-0 loss to Mbabane Swallows last week. They
managed to score 31 goals and conceded 36.