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YAHOSHA I-MAMBA

10/03/2020 01:48:00 BY Lwazi's Pandora's Boxs

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My dearest readers...

Said I’m sorry for everything that I ever done to you

Yeah

(The apologies of a thug)
Said I’m sorry for all the pain that I ever brung to you

Baby

I’m sorry for all the times that I hurt you
Lied, cheated on you
Left, committed every crime except for murder (oh)
But you still didn’t judge me
Infact you found a way to love me (yes)
Sometimes I really messed up and you still found a way to hug me (yes you did, Lord)
Layin’ your hands on me, cryin’, callin’ out to God (oh my)
I want up out these streets but ma, it’s so hard (oh yes it is)
I’m so scarred, my monster is so large
If it wasn’t bad luck, it’d be no luck for R. (no luck for R.)
And I’m sorry baby, for bein’ so connivin’ (yeah)
Cursin’ you out, arguein’ in public, drinkin’, drunk drivin’ (mmm)
Girl I need you to believe that I... can make it better (make it better)
I’m in the belly of the beast but still believe in a change of weather (change of weather)

Said I’m sorry for everything that I ever done to you (ohh, I’m sorry)
(The apologies of a thug)
Said I’m sorry for all the pain that I ever brung to you (oh yeah, babe)
Said I’m sorry for everything that I ever done to you (said I’m so, so, so sorry)
(The apologies of a thug)
Said I’m sorry for all the pain that I ever brung to you (ohh yeah, mmm)

This was part of the lyrics of R. Kelly’s hit song, ‘Apologies of a thug’ sent to me - predictably by a Mbabane Swallows fan - who politely asked me to use the whole song as an opening statement as a form of ‘APOLOGY’ for getting my prediction of the Ingwenyama Cup horribly wrong.

predicted

Right here, in this State-of-the-Nation-Sports-Address (SONSA) last week I had predicted the country’s football aristocrats Mbabane Highlanders would beat Green Mamba to win the richly-sponsored tournament for the very first time.
On Sunday evening, I was left munching thin slices of humble pie as Mxolisi Mkhontfo & Co. celebrated wildly at the sound of referee Thembinkosi Dlamini’s final whistle.

For the life of me, I am not going to make any prediction on this game of the billions in future because there are certainly no guarantees. I should have heeded the warning by a former Green Mamba head coach, the dearly departed Francis ‘Mkhulu’ Banda who once told me many moons ago that: ‘sports journalists are the only people foolish enough to predict the outcome of a football match’.

What was I thinking? Mbabane Highlanders had limped their way to the final with their biggest casualty being three successive times winners, Mbabane Swallows in the quarter-final stage.
They were up against a Green Mamba side who had not only beaten the defending champions in Young Buffaloes but had a glittering record of having NOT lost a cup final.

Champions of the Castle Premier Challenge in 2014 (beating Swallows 2-1) and Champions of the EswatiniBank Cup in 2012 (beating the self-same Highlanders 3-1), the ‘Correctional Services’ side have a proud and rich history in cup finals ever since they beat Denver Sundowns 5-1 in the EswatiniBank Cup back in 2004.

homework

This time, one thing was certain, they did their homework on Highlanders and were very quick to take a strangle-hold of the game from the very first minute. When Musa Dlamini outpaced Jimoh Moses only to send his weak shot straight into the arms of goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala two minutes into the game, Highlanders should have read the neon bright warning signs.

Five minutes later they had the ball in the net through Khethokuhle Mkhontfo, who was adjudged to have been in an offside position by first assistant referee Zamane Simelane. But one thing became clear. It was a matter of when, rather than if Green Mamba would score. They were quicker, pressed high and attacked on both flanks with consummate ease. Highlanders route one approach for Josef Lekata to play the holding role was easily thwarted by the defensive pairing of the two Saneles: Khumalo and Tshawuke.

Devoid of ideas, closed down quickly, Highlanders lacked the creative juices in the belly of the park which was further incapacitated by the substitution of Menzi Mamba. Mamba, granted, was struggling to keep up with the marauding Mxolisi Mkhontfo but he provided the shield for the backpedalling Highlanders back-four.

substitution

His substitution left a hole as big as the ball possession between the two sides. Besides Sabelo ‘Sawa’ Gamedze’s well struck free kicks which both cannoned off the bar, Highlanders did not offer anything going forward.
When goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala made the goalkeeping howler which allowed another Mkhontfo, ‘Xavi’ this time, to unleash an exquisite lob which would have left even renowned golfer, Tiger Woods green with envy, the die was cast.

The ‘Correctional Services’ side were to write their name on the annals of history as the 2020 Ingwenyama Cup champions, taking home the lucrative first prize of E1.4 million. Well deserved not just the way they planned and executed their game-plan but keeping their feet firmly on the ground. They didn’t play the occasion, they played the game. All hail, Green Mamba ... Beware it bites!