WONDER-BULL!

Sports Editor

LOBAMBA – Wonder-Bull! This aptly describes the untold scenes of jubilation that engulfed the country’s soccer Mecca, Somhlolo National Stadium, after two of the biggest teams, Manzini Wanderers and Mbabane Highlanders stormed into the semi-finals of the magical #Yelele SwaziBank Cup in grand style here yesterday.

Revenge, as the ancient wise-men observed, is a dish best served cold and the opposition teams, Vovovo FC and Tambuti FC were dining on thin ice last night.

Hub giants Manzini Wanderers, watched by their biggest crowd this season, avenged a 4-2 loss to the National First Division side, Vovovo FC suffered in the Ingwenyama Cup on Friday, December 30 2016 with a convincing 2-0 win that sent the honey-throated maroon and white outfit fans into delirium.

Hyperbole celebrations that threatened to raise the dead at the nearby Mdzimba Mountains by overjoyed Highlanders fans greeted the last sudden-death penalty coolly converted by goalkeeper Sidumo Vilakati, who had earlier brilliantly saved Tambuti’s Fabrice Mopina’s spot kick, as the ‘Black Bull’ stormed into the semi-finals of a tournament they won two times in a row in 2009 and 2010.

It was sweet revenge for the Rodney ‘Stumbo’ Charles-led team who had lost twice to the modest Premier League rookies who first beat Highlanders 2-1 in the Ingwenyama Cup quarter-finals on January 14 at King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium before emerging victors with the same scoreline on March 11 in the MTN League at Mayaluka Stadium.
impressive
An impressive crowd of over 5 000 people, including the Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala, SwaziBank Managing Director Zakhele Lukhele, Prince Hlangabeza, Prince Mbuyisa and Premier League of Swaziland boss, Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze, turned up to watch two scintillating games, which had revenge written all over them.

While the football was not classy – far from it – but a much improved Wanderers did enough to see off a hard fighting Vovovo FC, who failed to replicate the same devastating form they displayed in the shock 4-2 win in the Ingwenyama Cup. The ‘Weslians’ scored in each half to send their over-the-moon fans into dreamland.
Vovovo FC lacking a killer instinct were certainly marooned as the ‘Weslians’ made their way to the semi-finals.

whirling

For Highlanders fans, the game was like spending an afternoon inside the whirling drum of a tumble dryer as Tambuti exerted themselves better than the struggling side.
They were left frustrated even by a correct decision by second assistant referee, Sifiso Zondo who rightly ruled off-side a Sifiso Dlamini finish when the midfielder was in an offside position – gaining an unfair advantage – from a Thokozani Mkhulusi deflected save. The Highlanders striker was yards offside.

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