‘BIRDS’ TITLE ASPIRATIONS DENTED

Sports Editor
(At Somhlolo National Stadium)

Mb. Swallows..............(0)0
Mb. Citizens................(0)0

LOBAMBA – Inconsistent Mbabane Swallows chances of defending the league crown they have won back-to-back are shrinking faster than woolly jumpers in a tumble dryer.

Yesterday’s sixth draw of a tumultuous league campaign- a disastrous goalless draw with basement club Mbabane Citizen – left the two-successive league-champions six points behind log leaders, Royal Leopard with seven games remaining. Perhaps, the only gratifying factor in yesterday’s drab draw for Swallows was that they have managed to dislodge bitter rivals Highlanders as they have since moved to position four. The traditional rivals meet in the Big derby here on March 10.

 It was also the second goalless draw for the Swallows of Mbabane, ironically against the self-same gusty Mbabane Citizen who also took a point off the red and white glamour side in a drab draw at Mhlume’s Nsukuwansuku Stadium on September 23, 2018.
Charles Manda’s charges stood their ground, matching Swallows pound for pound and in goalkeeper, Sandile Dlamini, named ‘man of the match’ here, they had a dependable last line of defence. Upfront in new Ghanaian striker, Richard Botwey they had a hard running striker who kept Swallows defence busy all afternoon with some incisive runs though his finishing was awry poor.

As early as the 4th minute, he forced Swallows goalkeeper, Sandanezwe Mathabela to tip his treacherous free kick over the bar and a minute before half-time, his speculative shot from 35 yards out was brilliantly saved by Mathabela.
Swallows came back strongly in the second half and Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu thought he had done well to find the back of the net four minutes after the recess when his hard shot from inside the box was saved by the ever-alert Citizen goalminder, Sandile Dlamini.

The best chance of the day came in the 50th minute and it fell to Swallows midfielder, Sizolwethu Shabalala. Unmarked inside the box, Shabalala received a glorious pass from Sandile Hlatshwako, who had side-stepped a defender before laying the ball on the path of the Sihlangu star. When it looked easier to score than to miss, Shabalala fired agonisingly wide, much to the chagrin of the Swallows faithful who were uncharacteristically subdued as if foretelling it would be a bad day in the office for their heroes.

Referee Letticia  Viena blew for full-time as Citizen earned a precious point which, however, does not change their position on the foot of the table while for Swallows, chances of defending the league trophy they won with consummate ease in the past season are now hanging by the thinnest of threads.

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