By Lwazi Dlamini
(At KaLanga Technical Centre)
Madlenya……………..(0) 1,
Phumlani Matsebula 81 st
Green Mamba……….(0) 2,
Mxolisi Mkhonto 48th, Njabulo Magagula 54th
Determined Green Mamba reclaimed the pole position in the MTN league log standings after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Madlenya FC at KaLanga Technical Centre on Sunday afternoon.
Having been toppled by Young Buffaloes who beat Tambuti FC 2-1 at Mayaluka Stadium on Saturday, the ‘Correctional Services’ needed a quick response, and boy, they delivered a workmanship-like performance to send Madlenya FC to their eighth defeat in a row.
Ernest Mavuso’s charges restored their two-point lead having accumulated 52 points with four games remaining.
Read More: Buffaloes jump to the top of the MTN log after a 2-1 win over Tambuti
Man of the match Mxolisi Mkhonto finished off a Mxolisi ‘Xavi’ Mkhontfo cross three minutes after halftime and Njabulo Magagula made it 2-0 in the 54th minute, running through for a lacerating pass from the irrepressible Player of the Month for March, Njabulo Tfwala to beat the goalkeeper Mndeni Lukhele with a low shot.
Madlenya FC did pull one back nine minutes before full-time when Phumlani Matsebula combined well with Mfundo Simelane before drilling a low shot past the desperate hands of the goalkeeper, Xolani Gama.
In a fiercely contested first half, Madlenya FC goalkeeper, Lukhele kept his side in the game with two brilliant saves. He did well to flick the ball over the bar from a Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu shot inside the box in the 26th minute and then again two minutes before half-time, he parried to safety a point-blank Tfwala shot from the edge of the box.
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With pressure mounting, it was the green and white side’s talisman Mxolisi Mkhonto who gave them the lead three minutes into the second half, finishing sublimely with a crisp ‘Xavi’ Mkhontfo cross.
Then Njabulo Magagula added the second goal in the 54th minute, finishing off with a low shot after being dispatched by Tfwala with a defence-freezing pass. Madlenya did pull one back through Matsebula with nine minutes to go but Green Mamba held onto their slender 2-1 lead to snatch 17 victories for the season and keep their noses in front in the enthralling league title race which is set to go down to the wire.
