FELIX’S HEADER SENDS SWALLOWS TO SEMIS

(At Somhlolo National Stadium)

Swallows................................(1) 1
Felix 45+1
Wanderers............................ (0) 0

LOBAMBA –  The win, in all honesty, was nothing but scrappy for unbeaten Mbabane Swallows, but it was what they needed to reach a third consecutive semi-final of the Ingwenyama Cup.
Manzini Wanderers could not be blamed too for feeling hard done by two refereeing decisions that went against them.

There was a Mike Dombo shot which appeared to be spilling off Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza’s hands and rolled towards the goal line. He reacted to parry it away, but Wanderers players protested to the second assistant referee for not counting a goal.

It was debatable. It is one of those incidents that could have only been dictated by goal-line technology. That was 14 minutes from time.
Seven minutes later, Mandla Palma appeared to have floored Aladian Kola inside the box, with a double tackle. The first one looked perfect, but so was his desperate second as he tried to mop out the danger that looked controversial. Referee Simanga Nhleko was not interested.

All those were attempts from the dominant but wasteful ‘Weslians’ to try and get back to the game, after Felix Badenhorst’s stroke of half time smash and grab header had given Swallows the lead. Wonder Nhleko was teed off by Sizolwethu, but Wanderers’ goalkeeper Igidzimba reacted quickly to clear the danger.  But from the throw in, he delivered a cross that caught the defence off guard, for Felix to head home at five yards. 
The highly tactical encounter had far and few chances, especially in a cagey first half, where everyone appeared very cautious to open up.

Swallows lost striker Sandile Hlatshwako from a nasty head injury in the first half. He was rushed to hospital and on came youngster Sizolwethu Shabalala who shored up their attacking options, with Badenhorst playing as a false number nine.
Wanderers might complain for all the decisions against them, but the club should look into the two golden opportunities fluffed by Aladian Kola and Mike Dombo in the second half as being key to their defeat. Kola, who tormented Palma and Siphamandla at Swallows centre back, outmuscled the former for a lofted ball which dropped inside the penalty box. The striker, with ‘Nkomishi’ to beat, shot over the crossbar, with five minutes before hour mark. Two minutes later, Dombo was next with a glorious chance, after being picked up by Sifiso Matse, but his shot at 10 yards was saved for a corner kick by ‘Nkomishi.’

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