LEOPARD IN CRIPPLING DRAW WITH G. MAMBA

NHLANGANO - Royal Leopard and Green Mamba shared the spoils after an intense forces derby played yesterday afternoon at King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium. 

Fresh from the TotalEnergies CAF Confederations Cup and packed with ample experience, Leopard lost their grip on the match, which they were certain to win after a quadruple substitution by head coach Edwin Matsebula, which was a game changer for the police team in the second half. Leopard went into the second half on a 1-0 lead through two-goal hero Junior Magagula who scored a rocket in the 20th minute. Green Mamba managed to crack into Leopard’s back line after the en-masse substitution that sent off Bongani Ndzimandze, Mzwandile Mabelesa, Bongani Dlamini and Lungelo Tsabedze. The reshuffling allowed Musa Dlamini to pull one back and settle the score a minute before the hour mark as he scored from near post.

Stunned

Stunned by the equaliser, Leopard’ s second half substitutes in Thabiso Mokenkoane, Muzi ‘Mzoro’ Dlamini and Fanelo Tsabedze  kept goalkeeper Thokozani Mkhulisi on edge, but failed to stretch the lead until Magagula finished a rebound from Mokenkoane to complete a brace in the 75th minute. Leopard’s 2-1 frenzy celebrations were, however, short-lived as the ‘Correctional side’ found their second goal a minute later, when Mcolisi Mkhontfo smashed  a place kick into the back of the net and goalkeeper Ncamiso Dlamini was too late as the ball went inches under the cross bar to make it 2-2. The final 10 minutes of play was a battle of the titans with teams putting up a brave fight and going neck-to-neck in search of the winner, but neither was willing to give in. Referee Thembinkosi Dlamini blew the final whistle at full time and both teams took one point each as they settled for a 2-2 draw.

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