Home | Sports | KOLA STEERS ‘WESLIANS’ PAST VOVOVO

KOLA STEERS ‘WESLIANS’ PAST VOVOVO

Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font


(At Somhlolo National Stadium)

Wanderers................................. (1) 2
Chikore 31st, Kola 88th
Vovovo....................................... (0) 0

LOBAMBA – It is not all gloom and doom for hub giants Manzini Wanderers, who with all  their tactical frailties, conjured up enough strength to send Vovovo FC to the canvass and book a place in this morning’s SwaziBank Cup semi-final draw.


Was it a case of revenge being a dish best served cold? You may call it that way if you like, considering the 4-2 humiliation scoreline they suffered at the hands of the National First Division League side in the last 16 of the Ingwenyama Cup in December last year. Yesterday, the ‘Weslians’, propelled by Man of the Match Aladian Kola, were off the blocks, the moment referee Mbongiseni Fakudze declared the tie on.


And twice in the first 20 minutes they came close to opening the score board. But they still did the business timely with the opener coming a minute after the first half an hour mark, through Zimbabwean left footed player Tawanda Chikore. Kola had been dispatched by Samkeliso Mhlanga, cut inside and delivered a pinpoint cross towards Chikore who smashed it home.


It settled the nerves after having first half the goalscorer’s stinging shot saved by Vovovo Wandile Dlamini seven minutes into the game. Five minutes later a poor clearance by Makhosi ‘Pele’ Dlamini under pressure from Mfanafuthi ‘Taribo’ Bhembe crashed against the upright with a goal beckoning, but there was no one to steer the loose ball home.


dominated


The maroon and white outfit were the better team, especially in the first half, which they hugely dominated. They pressed their opponents in their own half, forcing them to commit errors.
Vovovo made crucial chances in the second half bringing on former Mbabane Highlanders and Royal Leopard strikers’ Sibusiso Tfwala and Phinda Dlamini for Sandile Dlamini and Banele Dlamini.
The change gave them the aggression they lacked the entire first half, and twice Tfwala came close to scoring only to be denied by the ever improving Wanderers goalkeeper, Banele Dlamini.


‘Taribo’ was duly rested for Sifiso Matse, but the latter did not give them what they needed upfront, until he was shifted to the wings with Chikore playing centre forward.
Kola was operating on the right wing and was causing all sorts of problems for the defence.
Vovovo had a chance to draw level, 11 minutes before full-time, when captain Benele Mkhabela picked Sibusiso Tfwala at eight yards, but the striker’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper.


Kola then confirmed his Man of the Match status with a deft finish, after initiating a move from the flanks, exchanged passes with Sifiso Matse, before chipping over the goalkeeper at three yards from an acute angle.
They were home and dry. They will now await who they will be paired against in what will be their second cup semi-final in three years of the tournament.

Comments (0 posted):

Post your comment comment

Please enter the code you see in the image: