‘BIRDS’ GO DOWN FIGHTING

Sports Editor



(At Taieb Mhiri Stadium
In Tunisia: Courtesy of Heptagon Construction Company

SFAX – Courageous Mbabane Swallows fate was written and sealed in a banner emblazoned “Men don’t follow titles, they follow courage,” and flown around the stadium grand-stands long before the kic-koff of last night’s 1-0 loss to a top Tunisian side CS Sfaxien.

Senegalese referee M. Issa SY was a bundle of nerves as he failed to award Swallows two penalties in the 68th minute when striker Sandile Hlatshwako was kicked on the head by defender, Mathlouthi Hamza right inside the box but the lanky middleman waved play on much to the cheer of the enthusiastic 10 000’-strong crowd. Then again, goal-bound midfielder Papy Kabamba thought he had won Swallows a penalty in the 71st minute after being tackled from behind by defender Meriah Yassine but shockingly the Senegalese referee waved play on, leaving the Swallows bench tearing their hair in frustration.

CS Sfaxie’sn experience in game management and tactically superiority was evident in the opening minutes as they flooded high balls into Swallows danger zone after realising the visitors defence was panicky.
Nigerian midfielder Sokari Kingsely defence splitting pass in the 13th minute was picked by the dangerous striker Hannechi Maher who let fly a stinging shot from 25 yards out which ricocheted off the bar with brave goalkeeper Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza well beaten. ‘Nkomishi’ was the undoubted man of the match, pulled off the first of his numerous saves in the 23rd minute when he punched to safety a Marzouki stupendous shot from six yards out.
Swallows who started the game nervously allowing the home side buoyed by a passionate crowd to come at them conceded a soft goal when defenders, Mandla Palma and Siphamandla Matsenjwa’s poor communication allowed striker Marzouki Aala to pick top striker Hannechi Maher with a headed pass. The forceful striker obliged with a fine finish in the 32nd minute.

It was the difference between the two sides as Swallows had earlier, in the 27th minute, manage to create their only and best chance of the game when striker Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa was dispatched by winger Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko with a lacerating through ball, which would have defied all the rules of geometry but with goalkeeper Jridi Rami to beat, the country’s top goal- scorer fired to the side net.

It was a horrendous miss from a striker who normally scores goals for fun. CS Sfaxien had pressed Swallows with incisive moves as the ‘Birds’ midfield duo of Papy Kabamba and Njabulo Ndlovu struggled to win the ball and were always backpedalling in a first half in which the home side saw ‘Nkomishi’ pull off a brilliant one hand save in the half-hour mark when he fisted over the bar a Marzouki Ala shot from close range. But two minutes later,  ‘Nkomishi’ could not be blamed for conceding the Hannechi Maher goal as defenders, Mandla Palma and Matsenjwa behaved like two guests at a party where the host failed to make any proper introductions, thus allowing Marzouki Ala to head the ball towards Maher who finished with the coolness of a cucumber.

To their credit, Swallows never let their heads down and fought so gallantly in the second half, had two penalties not awarded and the brave goalkeeping acrobatics of ‘Nkomishi’, which include a 72nd minute brilliant one hand save from a Maher header, kept their dream of reaching the knockout stages alive.

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