MTN GREEN CHAMPS!

LOBAMBA – All hail the 2018/19 MTN league champions – Green Mamba!

A goal poacher’s strike by second half substitute, Gondwe Gomezgani 15 minutes before time ensured the Correctional Services side lifted their second MTN League title following a 1-0 win over a hard fighting Mbabane Highlanders in the most fiercely contested league title races since the MTN league started sponsoring the league in 2001. After a well struck free kick by the enterprising Njabulo Tfwala had ricocheted off the bar, Highlanders failed to clear their lines allowing Gondwe, who had come in for Mxolisi Mkhontfo 15 minutes earlier, to unleash a grass cutter into the far corner of the net, handing the Correctional Services side their second league trophy since they won it in the 2010/11 season in extraordinary circumstances.  Caleb Ngwenya’s charges pocketed a sum of E1 million – and E1.3 million in total after winning the E300 000 first round prize – after holding their nerves to outwit Royal Leopard, who came out with the wooden spoon despite beating Young Buffaloes 2-0 at Mavuso Sports Centre.
A two-goal difference was enough to hand Caleb Ngwenya his first trophy as an elite coach and the celebrations after referee Letticia Viana blew her final whistle threatened to raise the dead at the nearby Mdzimba Mountain.

In a nervy clash watched by a disappointing crowd of just a little over 1 000, Highlanders threatened to spoil the party for Green Mamba with one of their best performances of the season as they surged forward, pressed hard and defended resolutely. With news filtering that Royal Leopard had taken the lead at Mavuso Sports Centre against Buffaloes, Green Mamba hurriedly lodged a protest against Highlanders Mlamuli ‘Mlaba’ Nkambule, in the 24th minute, whom they claimed was a defaulter as he was supposed to be serving a two-match suspension.

Then six minutes later Highlanders striker Thabiso Mokenkoane should have scored when he picked a suicidal back pass by Green Mamba defender Mcolisi Manana but dilly-dallied until he was dispossessed by defender Sanele Tshawuka. Then Highlanders reserve goalkeeper, Mxolisi Dlamini handed another ‘gift’ to Green Mamba striker, the league’s joint-top goalscorer Musa Dlamini, who in turn dispatched an unmarked Phinda ‘Phindrix’ Dlamini who failed to control the ball and an opportunity went begging. Then four minutes into the second half, Mokenkoane, who is joint top goal scorer on 15 goals with Mamba’s Musa Dlamini, could have done better when he broke free after being teed up by a Mlaba Nkambule lacerating through pass. He fired agonisingly wide.

The whole stadium held its breath on the hour-mark when ‘Mlaba’s 35 metre rocket went agonisingly wide. 14 minutes later, a full moon, in its splendour, emerged from the Western part of the stadium and Green Mamba got the full three points. Gomez, a former Mbabane Swallows and Malanti Chiefs striker, showed his goalscorer’s instincts when he pounced on a loose ball inside the box like a thief in the still of the night to smash home the all-important goal, which was worth a cool E1 million and more in its true value as Caleb Ngwenya and his players joined in the hip by a motley group of supporters celebrated like nobody was watching.

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