By Chris Dlamini
What a title run-in! Easter Monday MTN Premier League action ended quite badly for Royal Leopard as they dropped to the second spot with five games to go.
As they say, you snooze, you lose, and that is exactly what befell the Ingwenyama Cup 2025 champions, Leopard, as they lost 1-0 to security forces rivals Young Buffaloes. This saw the ambitious Shiselweni outfit surge to the top spot, taking a two-point lead, which was their deficit to then-leaders Leopard ahead of the games on Monday.
For the first time this season, ambition has seen Insingizi Yezulu right at the top and on course for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, but only if they can hold on to the hot spot. Nsingizini occupies the summit on 48 points while Leopard and Green Mamba have 46 and 45, respectively.
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Sinking Leopard in the security forces derby was former Moneni Pirates forward Lizwe Zwane early in the second half to end their league unbeaten run while the new leaders, Insingizi (Nsingizini) rewrote their history books via goals by Ex-Mbabane Swallows striker Ayanda Gadlela and Sambulo ‘Masoso’ Simelane.
The latter was netting for the second time in two games, putting himself in a good position for a place in the Eswatini senior national team Sihlangu Semnikati squad for this year’s COSAFA Cup in Bloemfontein, South Africa (SA) from June 4.
Meanwhile, Buffaloes’ win did not improve their standing but may have helped them edge closer to the race trio and perhaps consolidate the fourth spot with five games to go before the season ends.
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They now have 41 points to third-placed Green Mamba’s 44. Buffaloes also opened a four-point gap on fifth-placed Mbabane Swallows.
Swallows beat Rangers 2-1 to overtake Moneni Pirates who left it late to equalise after trailing 1-0 until the 86th against relegation-troubled Madlenya in front of South Africa’s Royal AM owner MaMkhize who returned to support the Sea Robbers of Moneni as she did in the Ingwenyama Cup finals when they lost to Leopard.
In another interesting match-up, giants Mbabane Highlanders were held 3-3 by minnows Illovo in the six-goal thriller at Mkhuzweni Technical Centre, Buhleni. The draw left Inkunz’emnyama, as Highlanders are fondly known, on 27 points on position seven.
MTN Premier League (Matchday 21 Results):
R. Leopard 0-1 Y. Buffaloes
Ns. Hotspurs 2-0 Ez. United
M. Highlanders 3-3 Illovo
M. Swallows 2-1 Rangers
Madlenya 1-1 M. Pirates
G. Mamba 0-0 M. Sea Birds
Sidv. United 0-0 Sisonkhe
