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‘NGIYO NGIYO’ YE-MABHAKANIYA

13/04/2015 04:25:00 BY DUMISANI NTIWANE

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His Majesty King Mswati III presents Moneni Pirates captain Mncedzisi Dlamini with the SwaziBank Cup trophy.

Pirates .....................................(0)2
Ndumiso 48th, Fash, 62nd
Wanderers ..............................(0)0

LOBAMBA – Nothing could have been so sweet for Moneni Pirates.

This was surely sweeter than icing. It was sweeter than honey. In front of a person of no less stature than His Majesty King Mswati III, Pirates defied the odds to beat pre-game favourites Manzini Wanderers 2-0 to lift their first SwaziBank Cup trophy.

It has been six years since Pirates last savoured the victory scent. Not since that memorable August afternoon in 2009 when they lifted the Swazi Telecom Charity Cup has the pirates family celebrated like they did yesterday after seeing their idols not only outplay Wanderers, but go on to break their SwaziBank Cup jinx in great style. A master game plan, a bunch of committed, dedicated youngsters who wanted it so much and a clinical execution ensured Pirates carried home the day in front of over 12 000 souls at Somhlolo National Stadium yesterday afternoon.

The ‘Buccaneers’, as they are affectionately known, were never going to let it go after coming so far. They took advantage of a seemingly complacent, disoriented, disjointed and incoherent Wanderers side that simply failed to show up when it really mattered.

Wanderers were like a bride missing her own wedding. They were a pale shadow of the team that bamboozled Manzini Sundowns a man short in the semi-finals. Yesterday, they were like a toy gun – scary on sight but really harmless. For the duration of the clash, they failed to take a single shot on target and the Pirates goalkeeper, Khanyakwezwe Shabalala, could still be savouring his holiday.
The Wanderers players simply froze on the big stage – and they paid the price.