LEOPARD, ‘BUFFS’ HAND ‘BIRDS’ FIRST ROUND CHEQUE

Leopard….....................................0
Buffaloes…....................................0

LOBAMBA – Capital city giants Mbabane Swallows do not need that extra point anymore to be handed the first round cheque of E300 000 after Royal Leopard and Young Buffaloes played to a goalless draw yesterday at Somhlolo National Stadium.

The result simply handed Swallows the cheque even though a win for either side would only be a matter of math. Even if the leaders lost all their four games from the Manzini Sundowns’one and Leopard or Buffaloes won all, goals would come in to decide winners – the red and white outfit having scored as many goals.

The significance of the forces’ derby though was that should either side win it, they would delay the celebrations for Swallows, who would need to get it in the midweek fixtures as the MTN League continues.

Buffaloes will feel they deserved to win the match after getting the better chances at goal but some good goalkeeping by Phephisani Msibi and resolute defending denied them that victory. The dying moments of the game were as crucial for Leopard as Buffaloes pressed for the all-important goal.

Goalie Phephisani made a sterling save when he put his reflexes to play to punch out a goal-bound shot by Sandile Gamedze from the edge of the box in the 78th before he tipped his edge of the box effort for a fruitless corner.

Substitute striker Phiwa Dlamini whose fitness levels looked suspect and appeared to be limping, brilliantly turned from a Mphile Tsabedze pass right outside the box and let fly a brilliantly looped ball as the keeper was yards out of his goal but it just scraped the cross bar with a minute to go.

The keeper was called to action again in stoppage time when Mndeni Mamba delivered a searching low cross that was met by Nhlanhla ‘Mshengu’ Kunene, whose clever touch did not work as the ball was parried back into play while Sandile Gamedze saw yet another good effort miss the target by a few inches on the rebound.

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