LEOPARD MARCH TO 8TH LEAGUE TITLE!

SITEKI – Royal Champions!

After 90 minutes of play, the pendulum finally swung on Royal Leopard’s favour with Mbabane Highlanders playing to a goalless draw with Mbabane Swallows. This is Leopard’s eighth league title after successfully defending it yesterday. The police side who were watched by the national commissioner of police (NATCOM), managed to hold their own, settling for a drab 0-0 draw, which was all they needed to defend the MTN Premier League at Young Buffaloes’ expense. The police ensemble came into this clash with 3-1 advantage having won in the reverse fixture; they attacked from the onset. Within the first 15 minutes they had forced Buffaloes goalkeeper Phumlani Ngobese to four saves. It was Lungelo Tsabedze whose rasping shot in the left flank was calmly collected by Ngobese two minutes into the tightly-contested game. Wandile ‘Shaka’ Simelane had his volleyed parried for a fruitless corner five minutes into the game.

The league top goal scorer, Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze, thought he had netted his 27th  goal but the ever alert Mlamuli Makhanya made a beautiful save from a ground shot from the latter. This was just in the quarter hour mark as Buffaloes responded from their low start. Ali Matse thought he had given the home side the lead but his powerful shot missed the target by inches. ‘Saviola’ would have sleepless nights for the chance which landed on him eight minutes before the half-hour mark, but saw his glancing soft header easily saved by Makhanya.
After resumption, the visitors could have easily won the league in style, but ‘Shaka’ thwarted his effort, unleashing a baby shot from three yards which Ngobese saved easily five minutes before the hour-mark.

After back-to-back action in the middle of the park without clear cut chances, it was easily predictable that the clash would end goalless. Despite a barren draw, there were those moments which showed it was not only a forces derby, but it was league decisive encounter match, it was characterised by those crude tackles from end to end backliners; Buffaloes Mpendulo ‘Mpetha’ Dlamini had his best day, as he enjoyed holding the ball and parading with it before unleashing a pass and whenever it was necessary, he would peel one or two players before releasing the ball. Even when he was taken out for Wandile ‘Skosh’ Shabangu, Leopard coach Edwin Matsebula was heard saying he was relieved that ‘Mpetha’ was substituted. Altogether it was a beautiful day and Leopard deserved to be crowned champions. They return to africa’s premier club tournament on top of becoming E1 million richer.

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