‘BIRDS’, BUFFS’ KEEP TITLE HOPES ALIVE

NHLANGANO – After more than 360-minute of play, there is still no winner between Mbabane Swallows and Young Buffaloes.

This is after a clash between the two sides ended in a goalless draw in an epic MTN Premier League here in Nhlangano yesterday. For the past two seasons, this clash ended in a 0-0 draw.
 Following Mbabane Highlanders’ draw against Royal Leopard, the log standings stays the same with Swallows perched on the third spot with 58 points while Buffaloes are one place and one point behind Swallows. Leopard are still leaders with 62 points while Highlanders are second with 60. After so much talk this past week about the weekend games being possible deciders, it was a disappointment for football lovers the as the log standing was unchanged. Coming to the game, it was a highly contested game with half chances. In the first half, there were barely clear cut chances as the game would see both teams losing the ball in the final third.

Despite the hosts trying to utilise their flanks in Nhlanhla Ngwenya and Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko, Buffaloes first choice goalkeeper Nhlanhla Gwebu dealt with the crosses effortlessly. On the other side, Sandile’Saviola’ Gamedze did everything there was to do in the middle of the park, but Kingu Pemba and Kwakyi Kingsley  did well to stop the dangerous Sifiso ‘Junior’ Mazibuko from taking those powerful shots he is known for. After restart, the visitors almost opened the scorers’ chart through Ali Matse,but his ground shot missed the target by inches two minutes in. At one moment ‘Saviola’ thought his volley on the edge of the box was in but Swallows goalkeeper Sandanezwe Mathabela made a beautiful save. Coach Musa Manyatsi brought in Sandile Hlatshwako for Wonder ‘Samba’ Nhleko and Felix Badenhorst for Sizolwethu Shabalala, while Tony Tsabedze came in for Ngwenya.

impact

The change  had little impact but there were those moments where the hosts were occasionally inside the box but their efforts did not count. The lanky Sandile’s glancing header from Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze cross was saved by Gwebu in the 63rd  minute. Felix who piled pressure on the opponent had his header missing the target by inches in the 73 minutes. Sandile felt letdown by the first assistant referee, Zamani Simelane, after the latter ruled his goal offside when he thought he was in line with the last man on Buffaloes defence 10 minutes from time. He looped the ball beating the advancing goalkeeper. After those half chances, both sides struggled to create clear cut chances as the ball would be lost in the final third. When referee Thulani Tsabedze blew the final whistle, it was a disappointment for both coaches as they had anticipated maximum points in order to improve their log standings and possible win the league.

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