Home | Sports | ‘BULL’ SWALLOW-ED!

‘BULL’ SWALLOW-ED!

02/10/2017 09:05:00 BY LWAZI DLAMINI

Font size:

LOBAMBA – Win pretty! Win ugly! – Just win Mbabane Swallows.

The all-conquering Mbabane Swallows, who are yet to scale their lofty heights, not only won the bragging rights but claimed the fifth win in a row in all competitions over their traditional rivals.
Over 7 000 fans, including MTN Swaziland Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ambrose Dlamini, watched in delight as the league defending champions, Mbabane Swallows, stretched their unbeaten league record to 27 matches, having last lost a league game on May 15, 2016 to then league champions, Royal Leopard in the last game of the 2015/16 season.

The winner yesterday came from an unlikely source, right full-back Sifiso Mabila, 13 minutes into the game, when his stupendous shot inside the box rocked the roof of the net after Highlanders defence failed to clear their lines following a Tony Tsabedze corner kick.
It was a fortuitous win by the red and white glamour side who have not really hit their strides this season but were good enough to restore their two-point lead at the summit of the log, ahead of the much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash against nemesis Matsapha United in the next round of league fixtures.

On a Y’ello Sunday when the fans answered the call to come in numbers, Moneni Pirates condemned a hard fighting Midas City to their fifth successive defeat of a season that is becoming as nightmarish and heart-drenching in equal measure.
Pirates wing wizard, Sihle ‘Mini Copper’ Ndaba converted from the spot kick in the first half and had another penalty saved, but the Moneni Buccaneers held on to claim their second win of the season.
The throngs of Manzini Wanderers fans seating on the South stand must have felt like they had re-visited a crime scene – same stadium where Highlanders crushed the ‘Weslians 4-1 on the opening day of the season on September 10 – after watching in sheer agony their heroes succumbed to mind-numbing 5-1 loss to a ruthless Green Mamba.

The ‘Weslians’ had taken an early lead through talismanic striker Mfanafuthi ‘Taribo’ Bhembe but crumbled like a deck of cards to a pitiless Green Mamba who finally played to their true potential.
The ‘Weslians’ were marooned - literally and figuratively speaking. It was the worst league defeat for the hub giants since the 6-0 mauling by Swallows on the fateful Saturday of April 23 2016 in the second round of the 2015/16 season.
Branded as the biggest fixture in the land, the ‘big derby’ was fiercely contested by both sides with chances very few and far between and in the end, it took one lapse in concentration in Highlanders’ defence fully exploited by defender, Sifiso Mabila to snatch the winner, which was worth its weight in gold.