‘BUFFS’ TRIPLE DELIGHT!

My dearest readers ... When SwaziBank Managing Director Zakhele Lukhele congratulated Young Buffaloes for being represented in all three categories’ finals – the senior teams, Under-20s and Women’s Cup, little did he know it was prophetic message, in its own right.

Lukhele, speaking off-the-cuff during the May 1 Finalists kit presentation ceremony, might not have envisaged that the army side would go on and win all three categories on a memorable Sunday of May 6, 2018, which is a day which can be aptly summed up as ‘Army Day’, given the day of reckoning on all fronts by General Army Commander Sobantu Dlamini’s brave battalions.

They do not say a journey with a thousand miles begins with a first step for nothing. Very few people would have noticed the amount of work that has been done at the army barracks, especially on youth development. Young Buffaloes have one of the most active development programmes in the country – from Under-17 right up to the senior team. People are only aware of when the army side or the armed forces sides recruit established top players from the civilian teams, but the reality and the truth is that, in the case of Buffaloes, they have invested a lot in youth development. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Buffaloes Under-20 team scooped the SwaziBank Cup Under-20 category.

Their Under-17 team continues to ride the crest of the wave in the Esibayeni Lodge/PLS league. Now even their ladies team is starting to show its true potential. Overall, this speaks of a well-structured team, which has invested immensely on development and they are starting to reap the juicy fruits.

As for the senior team, no one can begrudge them becoming the second team after the once-mighty Mbabane Highlanders winning the SwaziBank Cup back-to-back. Buffaloes have been the only team to give invincible Mbabane Swallows a run for their money in the last three seasons. The army side have been perennial bridesmaid to the dominant Swallows of Mbabane. Coach Dominic Kunene has knuckled down to serious business, forming a well-oiled machine that plays with gusto, determination, zeal and obduracy. They are workmanship-like outfit, with no frills or thrills.

Theirs boils down to hard work. While the hype ahead of the SwaziBank Cup final pointed to Manzini Wanderers being favourites – and just about every other person wishing they could win the trophy after twice falling from the gates of glory – football, by its nature, has no sentiments. It has no foregone conclusion. It has no sympathy. It is what you do on the day of the game that matters – not how long you last won a trophy, or how much winning a trophy would mean to you.

Wanderers clearly believed their own hype and paid the price. If truth be told, Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe’s predominantly youthful side had done well enough to reach the Cup final itself. Player-to-player analyses in comparison to Buffaloes, they were no match. That’s why they do not need to be too hard on themselves, but instead should take this as a lesson on which to build on going forward. The lack of experience inspite of taking an early lead through forceful striker, Aladeon Kola showed as they struggled in midfield, where Buffaloes dominated. Coupled with a porous-as-a-sieve defence, which provoked pity each time the likes of Phiwa Dlamini and Sifiso Mazibuko surged forward, Wanderers were on the back-foot for prolonged periods of this unlikeliest cup ever, which despite a roaring 12 000 crowd, never got anyone swinging from their chandeliers. In Wanderers case, commitment and zeal can only take you so far. Sometimes in games like this you need that X-factor.

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