‘BIRDS’ CRAZY EIGHT!

LOBAMBA – When three-successive-times Ingwenyama Cup champions Mbabane Swallows relocate their mojo, they can be murderously good.

On a dramatic week in the ‘Birds’ nest which saw award-winning coach Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakati tossed aside like a bad habit, Shiselweni Super League outfit, Young Movers were the unfortunate victims of an eight goal mauling which notched up another feather in the red and white glamour side’s cap as the biggest scoreline of the richest tournament in the Land in its glorious three-year history. On-form youngster, Sizolwethu ‘Nunu’ Shabalala, grabbed his first hat-trick in local top flight football, veteran Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko also danced his way into the pantheon of hat-trick heroes of the tournament before another old guard, captain marvel Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze’s second half brace completed the rout.

On a day when the country’s other members of the Big Three teams, Manzini Wanderers and Mbabane Highlanders recorded convincing victories against City Warriors (2-0) and Hub Sundowns (4-0) respectively, it was the defending champions, Swallows of Mbabane, whose massacre of the Shiselweni Super league side was the cherry on top of the cake.
The ‘Birds’ contributed eight of the total 66 goals scored over the opening last 32 stage in the fourth edition of the exciting tournament which has already carved a niche for itself as the richest tournament in the country.

Former Manzini Sundowns coach, Musa Manyatsi, who has taken over the coaching seat at Swallows, only waited for 16 minutes to see his charges take the lead on a distinctively hot Sunday afternoon before less than 3 000 fans at the country’s soccer Mecca. Impressive Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko, playing in an unfamiliar midfield role, dispatched the man of the match, Sizolwethu ‘Nunu’ Shabalala with a lacerating through pass that would have defied all the rules of geometry before the youngster fired a low shot past the advancing goalkeeper, Phumlani Mavimbela.

Mavimbela, though picking up the ball eight times from the net, had a wonderful game and his brave save denying Tony Tsabedze from point-blank rang four minutes after the half-hour mark was simply an outstanding piece of goalkeeping. Young Movers, though rarely moving into Swallows rearguard, did have a sniff at goal when Siphamandla Dludlu’s rasping shot from 25 yards out was flicked over the bar by first choice goalkeeper, Sandanezwe Mathabela seven from half-time. The second half defining twenty-two minutes of sheer ball artistry, swift combinations and pressing separated boys from the men as Swallows raced to a commanding and flattering 5-0 lead.

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