‘BIRDS’ SLAY RED LIONS

Red Lions................................(1)1
Oladele 45th +2
Swallows.................................(1)5
Sandile 41st, 56th, 75th, Ngwerume 73rd Wonder 74th,

LOBAMBA – As jubilant Mbabane Swallows fans miled out of the Somhlolo National Stadium after an emphatic victory over Red Lions, they could not be faulted for believing that they were now out of the woods. The past two months have been torrid for the team, managing a mere four points out of a possible 15, before yesterday’s 5-1 demolition of Red Lions who had caused an upset last week, beating Manzini Wanderers 2-1. Swallows’ victory was no doubt the sweetest imaginable. It was sheer bliss. You could say the ‘Birds’ were on cloud nine.  

Swallows dished out their best performance of the season in grand style at the Somhlolo National Stadium before sweeping aside in such ruthless fashion elite league returnees Red Lions – it hurt. It was a terrier-like performance by the Mbabane giants that blew a Red Lions side – fresh from a stunning 2-1 win over Manzini Wanderers into smithereens. A magical 18 minutes – the last of the free flowing MTN League clash watched by a rather disappointing crowd of more or less 700 soccer lovers, saw the ‘Beautiful Birds’, as Swallows are affectionately known, pump in three goals in spectacular fashion, as Lions suddenly froze.

The teams had gone to the breather tied at 1-1 and Red Lions had raised false hopes that they would repeat last weekend’s feat of slaying yet another giant. Lanky striker, Sandile Hlatjwako, who bagged his second hat-trick of the season after scoring three in a Charity Cup game, opened the scoring for the Mbabane giants about four minutes from the break. He broke through a static and ball-watching defence to score with a low shot despite somewhat miskicking the ball. Red Lions found an equaliser deep into referee Simanga Nhleko’s two minutes of added time. Speedy striker Solomon Oladele was allowed space to turn and squeeze in a shot that slipped past Jim Knowledge’s butter fingers and into the net. On resumption of the last half, Swallows stepped up the gear with back again midfielder Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu bossing the midfield alongside first half substitute Alois Ngwerume who replaced an injured Sifiso Mabila.

Hlatjwako netted the second goal about 11 minutes later. He headed home a Tony Tsabedze cross unmarked inside the area and all hell broke loose. Lions suddenly lost it. They then allowed Ngwerume to nod home the third from a corner kick on the right flank by Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko. Nhleko then turned scorer a minute later as a vastly improved Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa won a penalty after being tripped from behind. From the resultant spot kick, Nhleko was never going to miss. Hlatjwako then crowned a memorable afternoon with the fifth after another Tsabedze cross. Red Lions were not only left seeing red – the same colour they spotted in yesterday’s game – but they could be asking themselves what kind of truck swept past them.

Referee: Simanga Nhleko (Good game) – It was another fine outing by the country’s top referee.
Weather: Partly cloudy and cool
Man of the match: It is hard to ignore Sandile Hlatjwako, who netted three goals to inspire his team to only their second win of the season but spare a thought for back again midfielder, Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu, who played the game of his life in the belly of the park.

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