PLE STARS CUP-TIED

MBABANE – Unfortunately, several Premier League stars will miss the quarter-finals of the Ingwenyama Cup due to cup-tied rules.

According to Article 4.2 of the Ingwenyama Cup rules, players are not allowed to play in more than one competition. This means that players who have previously featured for their former teams in the Ingwenyama Cup last 32 or last 16 are ineligible to play in the last eight. One of the affected players is Mandla Palma, the new defender for Ezulwini United, who joined them from Mbabane Highlanders. Palma has previously played for Highlanders in the Ingwenyama Cup and will miss the game against his former team in the last 8. Another player who could have made an impact is Musa Dlamini, the new striker for National First Division (NFD) Pigg’s Peak Rangers.

Dlamini scored on his debut for Rangers, but will be unable to play against his former team, Mbabane Swallows, in the quarter-finals due to being cup-tied. Dlamini was part of the last 18 Highlanders team that beat Pigg’s Peak Black Swallows in the last 32. Young Buffaloes will also be without two of their new signees, Lucky ‘Roadblock’ Gamedze and Sandile ‘Magwegwe’ Mbingo, whom they signed from Madlenya and Rangers respectively. Gamedze played a pivotal role as captain and central defender in leading Madlenya to the quarter-finals, while Mbingo has scored seven goals for Rangers. However, both players are cup-tied and will not be able to participate.

missing

Nsingizini Hotspurs will be missing their new defender, Nkosiphile Shongwe, who they signed from NFD side Tambankulu Celtics. Shongwe had impressed in his two Ingwenyama Cup games against Royal Leopard and Mbabane Swallows, but he is also cup-tied and ineligible to play in the quarter-finals. When reached for comment, Palma expressed his disappointment in missing the upcoming game, stating that he believed he could have made a significant impact and helped his team secure a place in the semi-finals. He remains positive that his teammates will defeat Highlanders in his absence. Dlamini also expressed his disappointment, mentioning that this would be the first time he would not participate in the Ingwenyama Cup. In previous editions, he had played under the colours of Mbabane Highlanders or Green Mamba. He assured me that if given the opportunity, he would have done everything in his power to contribute to his team’s success.

Buffaloes CEO Sandile Gwebu viewed the absence of Gamedze and Mbingo as a non-issue, stating that the team had reached the quarter-finals without them and could continue to perform well in their absence. He emphasised that they were both talented players, which was the reason the team had signed them in the first place. The quarter-finals of the richly sponsored cup will be played this weekend in different venues across the country. The winner will take home E1.4 million.

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