THIS IS THE ONE!

My dearest readers...

“This is the one” is a song that reverberates around the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ – though it has now turned into an arena of nightmares – Old Trafford during home games, belted by the Stone Roses as lead singer, Ian Brown is a long-life Man United supporter. It was released on 2 May 1989 and in a long way, it best describes tomorrow’s potential – yes, potential – decider for the E350 000 first round incentive when security forces sides, Royal Leopard and Young Buffaloes cross swords in a league clash at the iconic King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium. This is the one. This is one clash that, in more ways than one, will have a telling effect on the destiny of the first round E350 000 incentive and it has the potential even on having far more reaching consequences on the entire season given how the two sides have been in such swaggering form since football resumed on April 2 after a three-month hiatus.

Gold

For the first time in the MTN Eswatini sponsored league competition – which began in the 2002/2003 season - we have a game that is worth its weight in gold. Maybe not. It is not a final per se as there is still one more game before the curtain falls down on the first round which carries an incentive of E350 000. But still it has the potential to be the decider in its own right. The mathematical part notwithstanding, there is the emotional and psychological aspect into it for both the winner and the loser. Wednesday’s epic clash at the King Sobhuza II Memorial stadium has all the ingredients of a thriller, emotional combat, psychological warfare, bragging rights, all rolled into 90 minutes of play.

Let me problematise (okay I have made up this word up) the issue further. Let’s look into the statistics even though Aaron Levenstien told us many aeons ago that “statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive but what they conceal is vital. On that bikini note (now get your mind out of the gutter dear reader), currently, police side Royal Leopard hold the cards. One point and one goal clear. They have amassed 35 points, Buffaloes have 34. They have 23 goal difference, the army side has 22. Psychologically the police have the edge as even a draw will keep Buffaloes at an arm’s length with a game to play. Edwin Matsebula and his troops, after a ten-match winning streak, can afford a draw. They would take it on a silver platter knowing all they need is to then win the last game against inconsistent Manzini Wanderers.

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