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FANS, TEAMS WANT IT!

27/02/2018 03:05:00 BY CHRIS DLAMINI

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MBABANE – The response to the slogan ‘Uyayifuna Na?’ simply was a big ‘yes’ from the fans and the clubs following the Last 32 games over the weekend.

Fourteen teams made it through with one game pending between Lubombo Super League side City Warriors and their elite rivals, Tambuti and will be settled tomorrow at Mayaluka Stadium. The action got underway on Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. Below we review the weekend action;

THE GOALS
15 games, 54 goals!

If uyayifuna, then goals must be your business in this game! Those who scored highest are still well in it – right in the Last 16 and now awaiting the next draw.
We saw 54 goals scored since the SwaziBank Cup started on Friday night until Sunday evening. These excludes the penalties scored in the various shootouts but goals scored in regular time. We expect more as we go into the Last 16.

PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS

Ludzeludze Killers vs. Midas City – This game ended in a historic penalty shoot-out last Friday night as every player inside the pitch had a go. Sudden death penalties decided the winner and it turned out Midas City recorded their first victory this season in all tournaments. They finished 1-1 in regular time and 13-12 after the shoot-out.
Young Movers vs. Manzini Sundowns – So close yet so near for Young Movers! They went in front before Sundowns levelled matters and forced the match into penalties to win 4-3.
Ubombo Flyers vs. Vovovo – It was 1-all after regular time and 4-3 after the shoot-out, Flyers upsetting Vovovo.

Madlenya vs. Sikhalo – All First Division sides so the ground was level. Sikhalo won 5-4 after playing to a 1-all draw in normal time.
Tambankulu Callies vs. Mbabane Citizens – Just like the other games, it went to the shoot-out with the score level at 1-1 and finished 7-6 after shootout.

MOST INTERESTING GAME

Manzini Wanderers vs. Bad Boys – This was a thriller. All the flair, the football, scoring chances, nervy moments, the off the field action, near misses, sheer frustration, tension and perhaps some bit of magic was what characterised this game.
That’s just how much this game lived up to the tournament’s slogan – we saw it all and definitely you read about it all. What a game! Wanderers edged the resilient Bad Boys 2-1 and for the maroon and white faithful, it was all thanks to discovering that ‘spoken-to’ Coca-Cola 300ml king size bottle they accused their rivals of using to make them miss obvious goals.
The secret came out in the 72nd minute. A minute later, Wanderers attacked and scored after a host of chances had gone begging.

THE FANS

We saw impressive numbers at Mavuso Sports Centre on Saturday when the venue played host to Green Mamba vs. Hub Sundowns as the preceding match for giants Manzini Wanderers against First Division outfit Bad Boys – at least more or less 2 000.
Then came the grand opening on Sunday where giants Mbabane Highlanders and Mbabane Swallows featured along defending champions Young Buffaloes – at least slightly more than 3 000 and on a really cold and rainy afternoon.

UPSETS

Red Lions – Emabhubesi were one of two elite sides to be knocked out in the Last 32 stage. They lost to Hhohho Super League side Zibonele Vultures who beat them 2-1. It’s now not being in the cup and facing relegation in the MTN League for Red Lions.
Mbabane Citizens – From being Ingwenyama Cup semi-finalists to losing in Last 32 against Tambankulu Callies who are in the Super League, it sure was an upset for the First Division League leaders who only lost their first league game recently in the second round.
It’s a knockout and Callies only a fallen side that has played elite football – after all, it finished in the dicey penalty shoot-out which ended 7-6 after a 1-1 regular time scoreline.