FOUR-HORSE RACE FOR 1ST ROUND ‘CARROT’

My dearest readers ... The soulless cry of a vuvuzela blaring from a Green Mamba fan sounded like a 50-tonne kugel mosquito with adenoids at Somhlolo National Stadium as the Correctional Services side faltered again on Sunday at the hands of a determined Malanti Chiefs.

The fan is used to blaring the vuvuzela, which sounds like an elephant in distress, but this time the noise was like a fart, only funny to the perpetrator. It mirrored the feeling at the Correctional Services side. Fresh from suffering their first defeat of an exciting season on Wednesday night in a 2-1 loss to Mbabane Highlanders, Caleb Ngwenya’s charges again got the wooden mic on Sunday.

The result, in retrospect, has turned what looked like a one-horse canter into a four-horse race with just three games remaining. Add the fact that two-times defending champions, Mbabane Swallows then walloped the confused Mhlume Peacemakers, who are trading as Matsapha United, with a 3-0 hammering that has literally set the cat among the pigeons.

If anything, Swallows victory has literally thrown not just the race for the first round lucrative E350 000 ‘carrot’ wide open, but the league title competition itself. Green Mamba’s lead has been cut to just four points and the next three league fixtures are interesting and intriguing in equal measure.

Two remaining fixtures – Young Buffaloes vs Royal Leopard and Green Mamba vs Leopard – only means the armed forces sides are likely to cancel each other, which adds another ‘spice’ to the already succulent stew.

This State-of-The-Nation-Sports-Address (SONSA) believes, rightly so, that it’s now a four horse race for the first round E350 000 ‘carrot’. In this contest, you have current log leaders Green Mamba, Mbabane Swallows, Young Buffaloes and Royal Leopard. I deliberately rule out Mbabane Highlanders, who are positioned fourth, because they are as consistent as the Mbabane City weather.
draws
The current four draws they have amassed in some games they could have easily killed off makes them title pretenders rather than challengers. Leopard have a game in hand against Matsapha United and given how a cannon fodder the Premier League rookies are turning out to be, expect ‘Ingwe Mabalabala’ to earn three points, which will move them above Highlanders. That for me, will complete the top four who are vying for the E350 000 first round prize.

Lest we forget, Green Mamba still have four points cushion on their lead and it is still their first round prize to lose, so to speak. The two consecutive defeats have somehow dented their chances but still it is in their hands.

A win against Manzini Sundowns in the next fixture, will mean they will have one hand on the first round trophy. Caleb Ngwenya’s charges eight match winning streak is full testimony of their capability and they cannot be a bad team overnight. They created a host of chances against Malanti Chiefs on Sunday to win the game on a canter but it was Malanti’s defensive work that did it for me.   

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: