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ROYAL CHAMPIONS!

05/08/2021 08:39:00 BY NTOKOZO MAGONGO

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BIG BEND – Royal Leopard have made it to the MTN Premier League title.

Two goals from Lungelo Tsabedze and Junior Magagula in either half of the game against Tambuti and a goalless draw for Young Buffaloes against Tambankulu Callies handed Royal Leopard the 2020/21 MTN Premier League tittle yesterday. Leopard will be smiling all the way to the bank for their E1 million first prize after losing out in the first round incentive of E350 000 that was won by Young Buffaloes. It is coach Edwin Matsebula’s first league title since he joined the police side. It is Leopard’s seventh tittle since the inception of the MTN Premier League in 2001. They last won the league in the 2015/16 season while still under now Tinyosi FC coach Sifiso ‘Nuro’ Ntibane. They won the title three times in a row in 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/2010. They were back again in 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2015/16 seasons.

The Edwin Matsebula-led side are leading the defending champions Young Buffaloes with eight points with only two games remaining before the curtain falls in the season. Leopard has 74 points while the army side is second with 66 points after the shocking goalless draw against Tambankulu Callies yesterday. The tittle win also comes with a ticket to compete in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, which will start next month. Leopard are due to make history in winning the title as they are due to lose a game having won 23 games and drew five from the 28 they have played so far.

Their last matches are against Malanti Chiefs on Saturday at Prince of Wales Sports Ground and they end the season against Pigg’s Peak Black Swallows next Wednesday. Back to yesterday’s match, Leopard players could not celebrate their tittle in the sport field as the finished the game while Young Buffaloes was still playing against Tambankulu Callies. They only celebrated victory over Tambuti. The game started with Leopard giving Tambuti no chance of attacking. They were in full control of the match from the first whistle and they kept Tambuti goalkeeper Mlungisi Nxumalo on his toes as he had to make a number of saves in the first minutes.