‘BIRDS’ MAINTAIN TWO-POINT LEAD

Swallows...............................................(0) 3,
Sizolwethu 73rd, Ndumiso 76th, Tony 85th
Red Lions..............................................(0) 1,
Talent 84th

LOBAMBA – No hat-trick, no E5 000 winner but Mbabane Swallows got the maximum points.

Swallows left it late to beat a resilient Red Lions 3-1 in an end-to-end MTN Premier League match at Somhlolo National Stadium yesterday.
It took the reigning champions 73 minutes to unlock a hard-fighting Lions, who were close to snatching a valuable point. Opening the scoring was substitute from the side’s development Sizolwethu Shabalala who finished off a dangerous Ndumiso ‘Tower’ Ndaba cross from the right wing.

Three minutes later, it was 2-0 thanks to a stunning long-range goal by right back Ndaba whose intended cross beat the keeper, Jim Knowledge, when it looked right in his favour but he was also facing the sun which could have contributed.
Red Lions, who had the best chances in the game, responded in the 84th with a rare Talent Maposa goal into the near post from six yards after controlling a free kick delivery in the box to beat his former teammate Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza in the Swallows goal.

Just when Lions looked to be back in it, Captain Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze navigated the Swallows’ ship to safety when his edge-of-the-box scorcher was too much for Jim Knowledge who only saw it land into the far bottom corner of the net.
The job was done and nothing more but showboating characterised the three minutes of stoppage time.
Had Red Lions taken their chances, it would be a different story but credit should also go to Ginindza for his brilliant goalkeeping. The result also meant none of the players won the E5 000 incentive in the match for first hat-trick scored.

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