LEOPARD’S NAME ON THE TROPHY!

My dearest readers ... Let me play a devil’s advocate this Tuesday morning.  When the curtain falls down on the MTN League 2018/19 in little less than two months, the ribbons on the glittering league trophy will be BLUE and WHITE.

Before you accuse me of, at best, jumping the gun or at worst, having quaffed enough Scottish waters to tranquilise a mid-sized Elephant, emitting brain farts in the process, let me state, unapologetically so, that I am as serious as a modern-day resurrection about this.
I am more serious than a heart-attack.

Granted, it is still a five-horse race for the league title as rightly predicted by this State-of-the-Nation-Sports-Address (SONSA) a month ago. Yes, interestingly, the title chasing sides are still to face each other with Leopard, in particular, to face three of them in succession from WEEK 22 in Green Mamba, Highlanders and Swallows. In fact the police side will face four of the title chasing sides including Young Buffaloes on the final day of the season.

Ordinarily, this means even their current five point lead means nothing but history has taught me it would take the biggest slump in history for the police side to throw such a seemingly unassailable lead with six games remaining. Add the fact that the other title chasers will also cancel each other out, all this point towards one thing – the die is cast!

Let’s unravel this mystery. You see, for two seasons, in particular, reigning league champions, Mbabane Swallows, who are still in the race not more than just mathematically so, in a rare feat world over, not only finished two full seasons unbeaten but literally turned the league title race into a monotonous one-horse canter. It was, at times, predictable and boring such that even the green flies on my Pandora’s Box walls sauntered into slumber-land.

This season, good gracious me, we have one of the most exciting league title races in years. But my heart of hearts tells me, it’s Leopard’s title to win!
The police side, sitting five points clear at the top, are licking their lips in anticipation like a bullfrog readying for a mating session!

Okay, dear reader, get your dirty mind out of the gutter. Gagagagagaga. The season, no doubt, is orgasmic and the police side have been in scintillating form spearheaded by new Cameroon striker Charles Edoa Nga, leading sharp shooter, Lungelo Tsabedze (with nine goals under his name) and the defensive astuteness of Machawe Dlamini, the midfield Rolls Royce, ‘Sushi’ Nkambule have propelled the police side to the summit of the log, almost unnoticed.
The manner they have leapfrogged first round champions, Green Mamba shows clearly their intentions to retain the coveted league title they last won in 2015/16 season having won it three times in a row since the 2013/14 season.

Green Mamba’s inconsistency in the last few games has seen them lose their grip on the pole position they have held for months this season.  Their seven-year wait for a league title they last won in extra-ordinary circumstances on May 5, 2011 under the tutelage of dearly departed Francis ‘Mkhulu’ Banda looks to continue unabated.

inconsistency

Talking of inconsistency brings the third-placed Mbabane Highlanders into the picture. The real aristocrats of Eswatini football – with a massive 12 league titles under their ‘horns’ – are as inconsistent as the Mbabane City weather!

With not only the Ingwenyama Cup final to contend with this Sunday, they are still to face bitter rivals, Mbabane Swallows, title chasers, Leopard, Green Mamba, Manzini Wanderers and of course, Vovovo FC who have a bone to chew with them given the despicable events after the last meeting, makes their task even unenviable.

Theirs is a long, hard journey, never mind that they are six points behind the log leaders, Leopard.
Young Buffaloes, seven points behind, clearly means it is no longer in their hands. The army side would have to beat not only Leopard in the last game but have to overcome relegation-fighting Mbabane  Citizens, Manzini Sea Birds, Vovovo FC, Malanti Chiefs and my goodness Mbabane Swallows.
It might be a bridge too far for the Ingwenyama Cup finalists.

For Swallows, take out your electronic calculator. The deflating 1-all draw with Green Mamba last Wednesday effectively left their chances of defending the league crown hanging by the thinnest of threads.

The Swallows of Mbabane seem to lack the cutting edge that came so natural to them over the years. Facing bitter rivals, Highlanders, Tambuti FC, Matsapha United, Leopard, Buffaloes and Moneni Pirates in the last six games, at their current form, only means the MTN League will have new champions this season.
It means, believe it or not, the ribbons on the MTN League trophy when the curtain falls down in little less than two months time, will be BLUE and WHITE!

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