SHOCKING RESULTS, FANS’ MISBEHAVIOUR

MBABANE – Week Nine of the MTN Premier League saw some shocking and unexpected results.

It also saw Mbabane Swallows fans engaged in despicable acts of violence, manhandling our reporter Machawe Fakudze and also baying for the blood of Coach Christopher Ennin and match officials during the 1-2 loss to rookies Rangers FC at King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Defending champions, Royal Leopard, lost 2-3 to Moneni Pirates while newly-promoted side, Rangers beat Mbabane Swallows 2-1 and it was Swallows’ second loss in a row after being humbled 4-2 by Tambankulu Callies last Wednesday at Tambankulu Stadium. Mbabane Highlanders cut Leopard’s lead to just one point following a resounding 4-0 win over Tinyosi.

Players’ lives at risk:
It was a sorry sight to see a Moneni Pirates official carrying an injured player, Meshack Lushaba, on his back during the 3-2 win over defending champions, Royal Leopard on Saturday at Mavuso Sports Centre. This is caused by the absence of paramedics this season during MTN Premier Legaue games. They have been nowhere to be seen since the resumption of the 2021/ 22 season and the players’ lives are at risk and to make things worse, there is not even a stretcher at the playing venues. Teams are now forced to use private cars to ferry injured players when they need medical attention outside the playing venues. The team doctors also have to carry the injured players outside the field of play and it is not a good sight for our local football. Football must seek assistance from government over the absence of paramedics who have been helpful in the past seasons through their presence at playing venues. We have previously lost lives in our soccer stadiums, what more should happen before the paramedics issue is addressed?

‘Sikhali’ back in team of the week:
Mbabane Highlanders MTN Premier League leading top goalscorer Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa is back in our team of the Week for week Nine. This comes after his sterling performance in the 4-0 bashing on Tinyosi on Saturday at KaLanga Technical Centre. Ndzinisa has been out of the 11 best players in a week due to poor performance and firing blanks in past games. He scored one goal with his the teammate Tony ‘Ben 10’ Machacha netting a brace against Tinyosi on Saturday.
Team of the week:
1. Bhekisisa Dlamini (M. Pirates)
2. Sibonelo Sibandze (Y. Buffaloes)
3. Simphiwe Manana (M. Highlanders)
4. Mandla Palma (M. Wanderers)
5. Machawe Siphephelo (Rangers)
6. Mphumuzo Sangweni (M. Pirates)
7. Malibongwe Malinga (M. Pirates)
8. Muzi Tsabedze (M. Sea Birds)
9. Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa (Highlanders)
10. Barry Steenkamp (R. Leopard)
11. Tony ‘Ben 10’ Machacha (Highlanders)
Coach of the week: Gcina Dlamini (Moneni Pirates)

3 players on a brace
It was really raining goals under ‘Week Nine’ of the MTN Premier League. Twenty five goals were scored in the eight games played with three players grabbing a brace each. They are Royal Leopard striker Barry Steenkamp, who netted two goals during the 2-3 loss to Moneni Pirates, Mbabane Highlanders Tony ‘Ben 10’ Machacha in the 4-0 win over Tinyosi and Manzini Sea Birds captain Muzi Tsabedze in the 5-1 win over Malanti Chiefs. The biggest winners were Mbabane Highlanders and Manzini Sea Birds who each won 4-0 against Tinyosi and 5-1 against Malanti Chiefs respectively.
The brace heroes:
Barry Steennkamp (R. Leopard)
Muzi Tsabedze (m. Sea Birds)
Tony ‘TT’ Machacha (M. Highlanders)

Struggle continues for Malanti:
They will need some sort of magic to survive the axe at the end of the season. That is Malanti Chiefs, who are yet to win a match this season. They have only secured a draw against Denver Sundowns and lost eight games out of nine. They are at the basement of the log standings with a point, four goals scored and 20 conceded. They have done it in the past season, starting bad and ending safe, but with four teams to be relegated, their chances are slim. Other teams that are in the relegation quagmire include Tambuti, Tinyosi, Milling Hotspurs and Rangers. All these teams have only accumulated less than nine points each.

Back-to-back wins for Wanderers, Buffaloes: back-to-back losses for Downs, Vovovo
Manzini Wanderers’ two wins in a row has lifted the hub giants to fourth spot on the log standings while Young Buffaloes, who have also recorded two wins in a row against Sundowns and Vovovo, have now moved three places to seventh position on the log. While Wanderers and Buffaloes are on the ascendancy, it is a different story for both Sundowns and Vovovo who have lost two games in a row respectively.

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