DLALA WESELI!

BIG-BEND – It sure was game on at Mayaluka Stadium in the exciting Ingwenyama Cup yesterday.

It was a game between the elite and First Division League in Manzini Wanderers and Tinyosi respectively. An end to end game it was but giants Wanderers walked out victorious after missing a slate of chances in the second half after their Captain Lwazi ‘Shana’ Maziya proved he was the best header in the country’s top flight when he nodded powerfully into the near post a Sicelo ‘Junior’ Simelane free kick delivery into the box. It was pure joy and relief for the over 1 000 travelling Wanderers supporters who had got heated up just before the start of the second half due to muti usage suspicion in the tunnels. However, their marshals and police handled the situation well and play continued.
Wanderers needed the second goal for security, as Tinyosi were also good on the day and capable of netting another. The score was 1-1 when Maziya scored right in the hour mark. Wanderers had taken the lead through a beautiful Aladeon Kola goal, who dribbled past the keeper Vusi Ginindza and saw his shot ricochet off the upright before going into the far low corner.

It was all the majestic work of winger Mike Dombo, whose football artistry was too much for right back Mbuso Magongo before nicely teeing it up for an onrushing Kola in the 17th minute. However, Tinyosi remained calm and put together some good piece of football to create their own chances. Their efforts paid off in the 27th through a quickly taken free-kick just outside the box. Just when Wanderers were least expecting it, striker Mzwandile Mhlanga wasted no time in passing the ball to his impressive strike partner Simphiwe Makama, who turned once in front of Jose Machado inside the box before letting fly a rasping shot into the back of the net, giving the keeper Romanus Ugonna no chance at all. It was nearly 2-1 up five minutes later as Mhlanga broke free, but his decent effort past the advancing keeper missed target by an inch with Romanus beaten. Three minutes later, Romanus was forced to pull a good save when he acrobatically punched out Makama’s out of the box effort.

Wanderers were living on the edge in the final five minutes and stoppage time as they defended with everything they had under enormous pressure from the First Division team. Referee Mbongiseni Fakudze sounded the final whistle, much to the amusement of the maroon and white side’s throngs of fans, who ended up fighting each other during wild celebrations. A Mbabane Swallows’ fan in his team’s replica was also beaten when he tried to walk past Wanderers’ fans. It was a game with some drama as one fan freely walked into the field of play with the game ongoing, picked up an empty plastic bag that was inside the pitch and walked out again without any disturbance to the game. The first assistant referee and middleman also had their incidents to remember. The assistant had to time and again try avoiding fans as he ran on the sideline because it was packed and people were imbibing under the sweltering temperatures.

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