Rude welcome for ACE'!

And midfielder Mphile Tsabedze was lucky not to have been red carded or let alone cautioned when his crude tackle on Leonard Bongso left the paltry crowd screaming ‘murder’ at senior referee, Simanga Nhleko. He only punished the offence by awarding a free kick.

With two minutes before the recess, Buffaloes’ Manqoba Dunga Kunene in his trade mark free kicks drew his team level at 30 yards. That was a minute after Ndoda Mthethwa had failed with a gapping net and Malanti goal minder was at fault again, fumbling a cross from Bongso.

Malanti could have restored their lead at the stroke of half time, but captain, Muzi ‘Mzoro’ Dlamini’s shot was saved by Nhlanhla Gwebu at five yards after he had needlessly turned and tossed his marker, when scoring was the easiest option.

Two saves were made in this half by both goalkeepers. Buffaloes’ Nhlanhla Gwebu acrobatically tipped over the bar a rasping ‘Mzoro’ shot at 18 yards over the bar. And on the far end of the pitch, the erratic Vusi surprised even himself when he threw his body to tip for a fruitless corner a thunderous shot by Dunga at 25 yards.

After the break, the army side improved with Malanti back pedaling. But still it was Malanti who took the lead in a controversial fashion, when the referee allowed an obvious push on Sabelo Mnisi by Leonardo who then scored from that incident that was 17 minutes from time. A minute later, the army side was awarded a spot kick after Sifiso ‘CJ’ Dlamini had in a moment of madness handled a stray cross inside the box. Vusi ‘MaOssu’ Soko sent his penalty way over the bar to the dismay of his bench.

They were made to pay dearly for that miss three minutes later, as Dumisani in a moment of brilliance, turned his marker and blasted a ground shot past a bemused Buffaloes goalkeeper to make the score line 3-1.

The goal did not deter the army side as they continued pushing forward, and they were rewarded four minutes from time, when Sabelo benefitted from a poor clearance by Bhekisisa Shongwe to head past the goalkeeper. The Pigg’s Peak side was able to hold on to the lead until the final whistle, to ensure that Buffaloes lose their fourth league match of the season. They remain rooted in the bottom of the log table with only two points in six games.