‘EXPRESS BULLET TRAIN’ CRUSHES ‘VAN DAMME’

LOBAMBA – In football, unlike in the movies, sometimes the main ‘actor’ dies - and for the long-suffering opposition teams the demise of ‘Van Damme’ of local football yesterday was the sweetest imaginable.

It set off the kind of unbridled joy and unmistakable celebrations that went throughout the country like Cyclone Dineo well into the early hours of this morning.
After 28 games unbeaten in a row - 2 520 minutes of football – in all competitions, modest National First Division outfit, Matsapha United achieved the seemingly unthinkable and improbable when they became the second team this season after Manzini Wanderers to beat the high flying Mbabane Swallows.

The ‘Weslians’ beat the ‘Birds’ 4-3 on penalties in the season opener after a 2-all draw in normal time in the Swazi Telecom Charity Cup on August 9, 2016. Since then Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakati’s mean machine had only played a 1-all draw with Mbabane Highlanders in the first semi-final of the Castle Premier Challenge on August 27, 2016 before embarking on a winning streak of 27 games in a row in all competitions.

The unprecedented winning streak came to a juddering halt yesterday in extraordinary circumstances at the hands of a determined Matsapha United who not only matched their more illustrious Premier League opponents pound for pound but came out of the blocks the quickest, peppering Swallows’ rear-guard, which looked very shaky, with probing moves but also defended in numbers like their lives depended on the outcome of the game.

Match winner, Vusumuzi Zungu outsmarted and outfoxed Swallows midfield anchor-man Papy Kabamba, rendering the whole Swallows machinery unworkable while former Green Mamba winger Mthobisi Mdluli kept Swallows left full-back Sanele Mkhweli, who often initiates attacking moves in the ‘Birds’ infamous quick transitional play, at bay. With Swallows winger Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko also literally in the pocket of truly outstanding left back, Sabelo ‘Sawa’ Gamedze, Swallows looked rattled and disoriented.

Two shots on goal in an entire first half including the contender for ‘Goal of the season’ award, a bullet-like header by Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa is all they could manage in their worst first half display this season. The Lion-hearted Zimbabwean-born gaffer Saul Chamunika side worked feverishly, combating Swallows midfield, catching them on the break and threw away everything thrown at them like matadors in a bull-ring.

It warmed the cockles of the heart of every true football supporter. It touched the inner soul of those who worship on the altar of football – all 8 000 or more of them here yesterday. In true nature of what makes the SwaziBank Cup special in all its 14 years of existence as the flagship of Swazi football, it was the reincarnation of the romantic biblical storyline at its best as a determined David – read Matsapha United – brought down the lardy Goliath – read Swallows – to his knees in spectacular fashion.

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