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WHEN UDERDOGS BECAME TOPDOGS!

18/01/2022 08:07:00 BY NTOKOZO MAGONGO

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MBABANE – Mbabane Swallows were the only winning team among the big guns in week 11 of the MTN Premier League, that was full of drama.

They beat Moneni Pirates 3-0 with Felix Badenhorst scoring a brace and Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze netting his third of the campaign on Saturday. Mbabane Highlanders, Manzini Wanderers, Moneni Pirates and Royal leopard all went home with the wooden part of the spoon this weekend. Here is what we learnt from week 11.

Muddy Prince of Wales:
After the heavy rains in the past days, the Prince of Wales Sports Ground proved not to be the perfect venue to host games under the MTN Premier League. Everyone struggled to move around the venue as it was muddy almost everywhere including the playing field. Aside from the poor field, it is also not safe for everyone in the venue if teams like Mbabane Highlanders which boasts of over 1 000 fans at least per game, lose. Just before the game ended with Highlanders trailing 0-1, there was tension with a lot of insults and vulgar language coming from the ‘Bull’s fans and eventually one Vovovo FC fan was attacked by over 10 Highlanders fans, needing the intervention of the police.

Fans numbers increasing
The number of fans in the MTN Premier League game is really improving. This shows that the number of vaccinated people has also increased. There were about 2 000 supporters on Saturday at the Mavuso Sports Centre where Mbabane Swallows beat Moneni Pirates 3-0, while Manzini Sea Birds won 3-1 against Denver Sundowns in an earlier kick-off clash. On Sunday, the single header between Vovovo FC and Mbabane Highlanders attracted over 1 000 fans and over 100 also enjoyed the game from outside the venue. There were over 100 supporters for the double header at KaLanga Technical Centre where Young Buffaloes beat Malanti Chiefs 5-1, while Manzini Wanderers lost 0-1 to Tinyosi. The presence of the fans will surely boost the teams’ coffers.

Highlanders’ fans offside
Vovovo FC Coach, Caleb Ngwenya made an attempt to stop Mbabane Highlanders fans from attacking another football supporter. Ngwenya who was in the middle of his post-match interview tried to intervene by stopping the assault of the fan by shouting while in the middle of the interview but no one could listen to his pleas. Ngwenya was close to where the fan allegedly belonging to Vovovo FC was assaulted. It is time that teams with a large following have their fixtures played in safe and secured venues where there is no easy access for fans to the field and also the supporters stay separately. It was also shocking to see some officials time and again going to goal posts throwing foreign substances right in front of everyone. Let the 2021/ 22 MTN Premier League rules and regulation be enforced to the letter.

New comers in team of the week
With the big teams biting the dust under week 11 of the MTN Premier League, doors opened for new players in our team of the week. Some of the players who had dominated our team of the week but did not make it this time around include Mbabane Highlanders’ Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa, Manzini Sea Birds’ Muzi Tsabedze and Royal Leopard’s Junior Magagula among others. The new comers include Tambankulu Callies’ Simphiwe Gamedze and Vovovo FC’s Innocent Dlamini.

The team of the week:

1. Innocent Adja (Vovovo FC)
2. Sifiso Mabila (Swallows)
3. Aristo Tamuzi (Vovovo FC)
4. Thami Zulu (Vovovo FC)
5. Kingu Pemba (Swallows)
6. Simphiwe Gamedze (Callies)
7. Fanelo ‘Order’ Mamba (Buffaloes)
8. Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze
9. Felix Badenhorst (Swallows)
10. Banele Sikhondze (Swallows)
I11. nnocent Dlamini (Vovovo FC)

Palma confusing jersey numbers
Manzini Wanderers’ defender, Mandla Palma wore confusing numbers on his playing kit during their MTN Premier League game against Tinyosi on Sunday at KaLanga Technical Centre. His shirt was marked with the number 5, while his short was marked 23.

COME TO THINK OF IT:
Vovovo FC is the first team to win against Mbabane Highlanders this season, after 11 games.

The duo of Malanti Chiefs and Tambuti remains winless after 11 games in the MTN Premier League. Malanti have conceded the highest number of goals, 27 goals.
27 is also the highest goal tally of both number one, Royal Leopard and second-placed Mbabane Highlanders
Manzini Sea Birds are likely to take the top spot on Saturday as they beat Milling Hotspurs on Saturday. The other title chasers, Leopard play against Young Buffaloes and Mbabane Highlanders face rivals, Mbabane Swallows in the Mbabane derby the next day on Sunday.