‘BIRDS’ FLY OVER BANTU FC

(In Maseru, Lesotho
Courtesy of
Nedbank Swaziland)

Bantu FC.......................................2
Tsietsi 13th, Hlompho 31st 
Swallows........................................4
Felix 11th, Tony 15th, 75th, Wonder 61st

LESOTHO – A moment of silence first then a hail of goals between victorious Mbabane Swallows and Lesotho’s Bantu FC led to deafening celebrations from the over 1 000 joyous travelling Swazi fans.
The moment of silence was of course observed for Swallows’ late boss Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze.

It was Swallows that opened the scoring with a simple tap-in by Felix Badenhorst who had one of his best games in the club’s colours since his return from AS Vita last year. He started the move and linked with stylish midfielder Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze before he picked the latter to send a low cross into the box which the former tapped in 11 minutes from the start.

However, just as the Swazi fans celebrated and chanted ‘bhubu’, Bantu FC who have very good potential of matching Swallows levelled matters through striker Motsese Tsietsi, who finished from inside the six yard box after defender Ndumiso ‘Tower’ Ndaba was well beaten by troublesome winger Peter Maloisane two minutes later.

Swallows captain Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze converted from the spot kick two minutes later following a handball inside the box. Just after the half hour mark, it was 2-all as Bantu FC, who showed all the quality, scored through Kelake Hlompho from the spot kick after midfielder Njabulo ‘D4D’Ndlovu was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box.

The teams went to the break with the score level in what was a tension-filled game that saw the Botswana referee flash at least six yellow cards, three for either side.
Heat
Swallows turned on the heat in the second half and were deservedly ahead in the 61st minute through a Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko finish right under the goal from a Banele ‘Pupu’Sikhondze cross who showed some skill to fend off his marker before playing the ball into Wonder’s path but Sandile Hlatshwako deserves some credit as he won the ball and made a cross that found Pupu when Bantu had tried to let the ball roll out for goal kick. Just as a captain is expected to do, Tony scored the fourth goal from just the penalty area after Felix nicely brought down a Sifiso Mabila cross inside the box in the 75th minute.

This silenced the Basothos who had come in their numbers and all clad in yellow and black which are their team’s colours. Swallows will now host Bantu FC at Somhlolo National Stadium for the second leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary match on February 21. If they retain their advantage at home, then next is highly likely to be Zambia’s Zanaco FC who beat Gambia’s Armed forces 3-0 in the first leg tie away in Gambia.

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