SOLO INJE NGEMA-SHOCKER!

Sports Editor
(At Somhlolo National Stadium)

LOBAMBA – The bigger they come, the harder they fall – and the EswatiniBank Cup, in all its glorious 16 years, just loves them.
Having curved a niche for itself as a tournament of upsets, the EswatiniBank Cup, since 2004, has had its fair share of shocks but yesterday’s results at the country’s soccer Mecca was shell-shocking and enthralling in equal measure.

If Mbabane Highlanders, back-to-back winners in 2009 and 2010, 0-1 loss to Matsapha United having previously beaten the premier league rookies three successive times, was tear-jerking stuff, Manzini Sundowns spell-bounding slaying of bitter rivals, Manzini Wanderers was as sweet as a nectarine.
For both Matsapha United and Manzini Sundowns, having lost in league encounters last weekend against the self-same opponents, yesterday’s result was indeed revenge best served cold.

sweetest

It was the sweetest imaginable.
Lanky Ghanaian striker, Emmanuel Nsiah finished sublimely a minute into the second half for what proved to be a priceless winner as Matsapha United stormed into the quarter-final stage of the prestigious tournament. 

Highlanders, this year’s finalist in the richly-sponsored Ingwenyama Cup, left Somhlolo National Stadium cursing the name of referee, Letticia Viana who shockingly failed to award them a genuine penalty in the 66th minute when Thabiso Mokenkoane was hacked inside the box by defender, Thami Zulu.

shockers

The only premier league female referee, shock of shockers, waved play on much to the chagrin of the Highlanders faithful who were still cursing her name long after she had blown the final whistle. 
Manzini Sundowns, still reeling from the 2-0 league loss to Wanderers last Sunday, were determined to avenge the demoralising defeat and did so, with consummate ease, netting through Ndumiso Shongwe’s glancing header in the 14th minute and cracker from Frank Antwi three minutes before full-time to send the ‘Weslians’ out of the tournament. It was indeed sweet revenge for Sundowns who were knocked out by the self-same Wanderers 9-8 in sudden death penalties in the quarter-finals of last year’s tournament. Matsapha United and Manzini Sundowns have joined the likes of Malanti Chiefs, Green Mamba, Royal Leopard, Vovovo FC, Young Buffaloes and Mbabane Swallows in the quarter final stage of the 16th edition of the magical EswatiniBank Cup.

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