BLUNT HIGHLANDERS HELD BY LISTLESS CITY

(At Somhlolo National Stadium)

Midas City............................................... (0) 0
Highlanders............................................ (0) 0

LOBAMBA – It is only three games into the new season, but there are already fears of relegation among a section of Mbabane Highlanders supporters after yesterday’s drab draw against listless Midas City.
The capital city giants were uninspiring, lacked aggression and were far from scoring a goal against a City side that was there for the taking.

In all honesty, Highlanders should consider yesterday’s barren draw a case of two points dropped than a point gained. Not because they were better, but because their opponents were as good as not there.
The normally aggressive Simanga Shongwe was an uninterested spectator in the field of play, resulting in goalkeeper Sidumo Vilakati making his first save on the hour mark.
His first attempt was four minutes from the recess when he shot over the cross bar at 18 yards in a quick break from a Celani Shongwe misjudged pass.

Merk Mwase was right in his assertion, after the game, that they needed a striker to compliment Mohammed Sabella, who is visibly sinking from the weight of expectation from the victory-starved supporters.
The Ghanaian looked lost whenever his team reached the final third of the pitch. He sometimes held the ball well but appeared to be clueless on what to do with it.
He lacked the energy to impose himself inside the box when they tried to bridge the opposition.

He should have scored 15 minutes into the game, when Manqoba Vilakati delivered a cross on the right flank after beating his marker, but Sabella waited in the far post than to attack the ball and score.  At one time, he would control and pass when shooting looked the easiest part and his game was characterised by indecision. He was rested early in the second half for Mpucuko Dlamini, who brought urgency into his team play, but again they could not break down Midas City’s defence that was only in the pitch for at least the share of the spoils. The frustration was written all over Highlanders supporters who were seen after the game expressing their dissatisfaction to former MC member Martin ‘Internash’ Dlamini. They were heard lamenting the lack of quality players in the team.

The closest they came to scoring was 19 minutes from time, when Sicelo ‘Junior’ Simelane who was one of the better performers on the day, threaded a pass on the path of Thokozani Khanyile who slid a shot on the hands of the diving Ciniso Gule at Midas City’s goals, and Khethabahle Mkhontfo was at hand to clear the loose ball for a fruitless corner.
The result meant that Highlanders have only two points in three games with Midas City earning their first point of the season.

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