PEMBA OWN GOAL COSTS ‘BIRDS’

NHLANGANO - An own goal by fullback Kingu Pemba cost Mbabane Swallows maximum points here yesterday.

This was during an MTN Premier League game played at the iconic Nhlangano venue which saw Swallows settling for a 2-all draw with defending champions Royal Leopard. Despite the draw, the ‘Birds’ jumped to the second spot with 16 points as they boast of a superior goal difference compared to third and second placed Green Mamba and Nsingizini Hotspurs, respectively. The latter, however, has two games in hand and this afternoon they face unpredictable Manzini Sea Birds here.

Green Mamba also have themselves to blame as they could have jumped to the second spot but lost to Denver Sundowns 2-1 yesterday at Mavuso Sports Centre, while leaders Buffaloes also fluffed it as they were held 1-all by tough rookies Madlenya, giving rookies Nsingizini Hotspurs who are two games behind a chance to go level on 19 points and probably topple the army side if they score at least four goals to nothing.

Coming to the game, it was a one of two halves with the hosts controlling the first stanza while the visitors were dominant in the final half. Despite the Edwin Matsebula-coached Leopard breaking the deadlock two minutes into the tightly-contested encounter through former Swallows midfielder Menzi Sithole, Swallows came strongly to cancel the lead and further went into the break having a goal cushion.

Sithole had benefitted from a loose ball to fire home past Swallows’ Sandanezwe Mathabela to make it 1-0. However, second top scorer in the league with seven goals, Felix Badenhorst, levelled matters 12 minutes before the half-hour mark. He unleashed a volley from 40 yards out to beat Mlamuli Makhanya across the sticks. From the time the Musa Manyatsi-led charges restored parity, they controlled proceedings and were eventually rewarded with a second goal right the stroke of half-time – Badenhorst was the scorer again to complete a brace. The forward was on Thursday named Player of the Month for November.

He scored after midfielder Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze’s free kick which found Badenhorst well positioned inside the box, he headed the ball past Makhanya to make it 2-1 as going to the interval. After resumption, the police ensemble Leopard came back strong and they were firing from all cylinders and Swallows eventually succumbed to the pressure seven minutes after the hour mark. This was after a weak Junior Magagula cross saw Pemba kicking the ball into his own net as he tried to clear and 2-2 it was.

It was a disappointing clearance from the defender who continued to be put under pressure by a relentless Leopard who could have won the match had the Swallows defence not stood its ground. The own goal also proved costly to the Beautiful Birds as they had managed to stop Leopard from scoring but ended up sharing the spoils. Pemba was the most disappointed after the final whistle and his reaction showed as he sat on the turf like a lost man but his teammates and coaches comforted him as these things happen in football.

Umkhonto KaShaka (Swallows) also felt short-changed by referee Mciniseli Sithole after he waved play on, following what appeared to be a handball by Leopard’s Linda Mbuli at the stroke of full-time inside the box. In the end both sides shared the spoils with Leopard still stuck on the eighth spot with 11 points.

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