. . . On a weekend of upsets, Moneni Pirates record their first victory of the season, beating Green Mamba 1-0 while Nsingizini Hotspurs shock Buffaloes in a 2-1 win as Leopard go back on top after a 1-all draw with Mbabane Swallows on Saturday
By Lwazi Dlamini
A weekend of upsets! Both the race for the coveted league title and the battle to escape the dreaded relegation axe are tilting on a knife edge after a weekend of upsets all around in the league’s ‘Week 18’ on Saturday.
Moneni Pirates, founded on September 16, 1967, by the late Ngungunyane Matsenjwa, recorded their first win of the season, beating defending champions, Green Mamba 1-0 courtesy of captain Menzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane’s 41st-minute penalty at Mhlume Stadium.
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The win lifted the Moneni Buccaneers away from the foot of the table for the first time this season, to position 13th, just above Ezulwini United on a better goal difference and most importantly, it gave a lot of hope to the long-suffering members of the ‘Ghost’, who celebrated the win like the they had won the league championship itself.
Down at KaLanga Technical Centre, ambitious Shiselweni-based outfit, Nsingizini Hotspurs put army side, Young Buffaloes five-match winning streak to a juddering halt with a 2-1 win that lifted ‘Insingizi YeZulu’ to the sixth spot, five points behind new log leaders, Royal Leopard with eight games remaining.
Sihlangu reserve goalkeeper, Sibusiso Dlamini, converted from the spot kick in the 42nd minute and then Nkosingiphile Shongwe headed the second goal two minutes later before Buffaloes pulled one back on the stroke of halftime.
It was not enough as the Derrick Shiba-owned side held onto the 2-1 lead to put a dent in the army side’s title aspirations while dragging themselves into the title race.
At Mkhizweni Technical Centre, the ‘game of the weekend’ between title-chasing sides, Mbabane Swallows and Royal Leopard ended in a 1-all draw, having kept the impressive crowd in attendance on the edges of their seats through the gruelling 90 minutes.
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Felix Hunusugubo gave Royal Leopard the lead in the 34th minute but Swallows found the equalizer with nine minutes remaining through strong defender Kingsley Kwakyi’s glancing header.
The draw was still good enough to see the police side topple Buffaloes at the summit and go one point ahead on 33 points with eight games remaining.
Manzini Sea Birds and Madlenya FC shared the spoils in a 2-all draw at Simunye Stadium, a result which moved the Siphofaneni-based outfit to the seventh spot, a point above Illovo FC who were held to a 1-1 draw by Mbabane Highlanders on Friday.
The weekend began with an upset when Shiselweni-based outfit Rangers FC licked Denver Sundowns 1-0, pushing ‘Basop IKappa Kappa’ deeper into the relegation quagmire as they remained fourth from the bottom.
On Sunday, in the only game remaining on the ‘WEEK 18’ batch of matches, relegation-bound Ezulwini United and 12th-placed Manzini Wanderers are set for King Sobhuza II Stadium, starting at 3 pm.
LEAGUE RESULTS:
Played on Friday:
Rangers 1 – 0 Denver Sundowns
Illovo FC 1 – 1 Mbabane Highlanders
Played on Saturday:
Green Mamba 0 – 1 Moneni Pirates
Young Buffaloes 1 – 2 Nsingizini Hotspurs
Madlenya FC 2 – 2 Manzini Sea Birds
Mbabane Swallows 1 – 1 Royal Leopard
