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A DREAM SEMIS DRAW INDEED!

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When describing Manchester United Saturday’s derby come back against the noisy neighbours Manchester City, UK Daily Mail Sports Writer Rob Draper said it was ‘Like Samson tearing down the temple on his tormentors, turning a planned humiliation into a last roar of defiance.’


Manzini Wanderers and Mbabane Highlanders could refer though, partly, to the Etihad Stadium incident, after having been forced to dig deeper into their reserves of courage to earn a place in yesterday morning’s SwaziBank Cup semi-final draw.


The maroon and white ensemble had to endure an almost 60 minutes of emotional torture, after defender Makhosi Mthethwa’s sudden death spot kick was saved by the impressive Manzini Sundowns’ young goalkeeper, Lwethu Simelane.

The silence that accompanied the tension among the over 7 000 spectators, who braved the rainy weather to watch the double header quarter-final, was so thick it could be cut with a butter knife. But, in substitute goalkeeper Banele Dlamini, who replaced an equally-good Romanus Igidzimba, dived low to save Mkhuleko Magagula’s spotkick – to bring his team back to the tie.

A reluctant Jose Machado converted his penalty only for Melusi Mkhwanazi to have his saved by Banele, for an immeasurable sigh of relief for the ‘Weslians’, who a few minutes ago were staring elimination from the cup.
Highlanders’ task appeared done and dusted when an exquisite free kick from goal-a-game striker Thabiso Mokenkoane beat Matsapha United’s Khanyakwezwe Shabalala only a few minutes before the extra time recess.

And just as their hordes of supporters were readying themselves for a final whistle applaud and salute, that was punctuated by the longest rendition of their war-song ‘Gwaza Nkunzemnyama’, Kwenzokuhle did indeed brilliantly to draw his team level with the last kick of the game, connected with a glancing header a well weighted Sabelo ‘Sawa’ Gamedze’s cross into a crowded six yards.

The expectation after the last second equaliser was that Highlanders would suffer psychologically during the penalty-shootout, but strangely they kept their cool to win it, especially after Menzi Mamba had narrowly missed his penalty, for Mlamuli ‘Mlaba’ Nkambule to slot in the winning penalty.


The rest as they say was history, as the two giants, who openly received the most support and sympathy to advance on the day, made the semi final, joining Green Mamba and defending champions Young Buffaloes.
A majority of the spectators on Sunday had one wish for the semi-final draw. They wished Highlanders and Wanderers could avoid each other and further hope they win their ties to meet in a dream final. I had my reservations against such wishes.

It was a wish not founded on the fact that I never relish a Highlanders vs Wanderers final. I was there in 2009 when the two giants collided at a packed to the brims SwaziBank Cup final that heralded the presence of His Majesty King Mswati III.

I still vividly recall how Khayelihle ‘Karas’ Dlamini’s identical free kicks in each half in between a Ndoda Mthethwa strike won the cup. Highlanders might have won the cup, but more than the Black Bull’s celebration, football was indeed the winner.


However, recent performance by the two teams and of course the other two armed forces clubs still in the competition made me wish that at least let us have a Highlanders vs Wanderers semi-final than to wait and hope they reach the final. Wanderers last played in the final in 2015 when they lost 0-2 to Moneni Pirates.

As for Highlanders, their last appearance in a final dates back to 2012 when LIyod Mutasa’s Green Mamba put them to the sword with a 3-1 humbling. Surely, the above statistics should vindicate my prayer for an earlier meeting than hoping for something that might just be a pipe dream.

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