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3 497 TICKETS BOUGHT FOR ‘BIG DERBY’

25/01/2022 08:26:00 Ntokozo Magongo

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MBABANE – It was easily the biggest crowd of the season on Sunday at Mavuso Sports Centre.

Close to 3 500 people came through the turnstiles to watch the big Mbabane derby pitting Highlanders against Swallows. The exact number of sold tickets is 3 497 and each ticket costs E50. E174 850 was collected from the ticket sales. The first match saw Manzini Wanderers settling for a 1-all draw against Green Mamba before Highlanders won 1-0 against their rivals, with a goal scored by the current leading top goalscorer Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa. The double header also featured Manzini Wanderers and Green Mamba and the money collected was about E174 850. Here are the five things we learnt from ‘Week 12’:

Colourful fans:
There is no doubt; the Mbabane derby is what the fans had been waiting for to show their true colours. Both sets of fans were colourfully-dressed. It’s what we want to see in football and they created a carnival atmosphere, which was a good advert for Eswatini football. Well done to the fans who prepared their outfits ahead of the derby game. There was one child who stole many people hearts as he was fully dressed in Mbabane Highlanders regalia.

Friendship lasts forever
That was the case with Mbabane Highlanders former players Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa and Sanele Mkhweli. The players shared jokes and smiled especially after the match. The duo of Ndzinisa and Mbabane Swallows goalkeeper Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza had a moment during the match when they chased each other in laughter. That was before the referee awarded a penalty to Highlanders that Ndzinisa converted, beating Nkomishi in the process.

Ball boys add to S. Birds’ frustration
Ball boys added salt to the wound for Manzini Sea Birds as they were delaying in giving the ball back, with Milling Hot Spurs leading 1-0. Hot Spurs were hosts of the match at KaLanga Technical Centre where Sea Birds could have taken the lead in the MTN Premier League, but were left frustrated after the match, the ball boys provided by Hot Spurs were throwing the ball away from the Sea Birds players delaying the run of play and that brought a huge frustration to the players. In one incident, the ball boy threw the ball away from a Sea Birds player who had come for a throw ball in additional time and that did not go down well with Sea Birds players as they approached the ball boy at the end of the match with match officials saving the day for the young man.

Derby spirit must live on
It was a good day of football and the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE), together with the sponsors, MTN Eswatini, must try to keep the standard set by the Mbabane derby that also featured Manzini Wanderers, who settled for a 1-all draw against Green Mamba. There was a Disk Jockey (DJ) on the day and music was provided for the fans. MTN Eswatini was also available on the day providing services to the supporters and they were visible on the day. Thanks to them for improving the package of the ‘man of the match’ as they at least received packages and a bag instead of the gift bag.

‘Sikhali’ back in team of the week:
COME TO THINK OF IT:
* Leading top goalscorer Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa has scored more goals than six teams in the MTN Premier League being Malanti Chiefs, Tambuti, Tinyosi, Rangers, Denver Sundowns and Milling Hot Spurs. He is leading with 12 goals while all teams have 12 or less goals after 12 games.
* ‘Sikhali’ has also scored four penalties in 12 games and has scored two goals in two successive derby games.
* The duo of Malanti Chiefs and Tambuti are yet to win a match in the 2021/ 22 MTN Premier League. They have both played three draws and they have three points after 12 games.
* Only seven goals were scored over the weekend in the six matches played as two were put on hold, being Royal Leopard and Young Buffaloes, Tinyosi and Tambuti.
* The over 5 000 crowd at Mavuso Sports Centre for the double header that featured the Mbabane derby was for the first time in a football game since March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* Highlanders’ league derby win on Sunday was the first one in six years. The last league derby win came via a 2-1 victory on April 3, 2016.