Woeful Wanderers left at sea!

Manzini Sea Birds players celebrate their lone winning goal scored by Muzi Tsabedze against Manzini Wanderers at Mavuso Sports Centre yesterday. (Pic: Ntuthuko Dlamini)

(At Mavuso Sports Centre)

Sea Birds................................(1) 1
Muzi 22nd
Wanderers.............................(0) 0

MANZINI – Manzini Sea Birds left the over 500 Manzini Wanderers supporters dejected as the Van Rooyen  Magagula coached side notched up a deserving 1-0 victory.

It was one of the worst performances by the ‘Weslians’ in a long time, and they should thank experienced goalkeeper Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza for pulling off daring saves especially in the first half of the game they hugely dominated.

The game was the last fixture of the weekend of the MTN Premier League which commenced on Friday at the same venue. The defeat left towering South Africa born mentor Kenny Ndlazi conceding that Sea Birds were the deserving winners against his charges who, he said, literally failed to come to the party. Instead, he said they won the game before it even started, which worked against them.
He was right considering that the body language of his players was not encouraging at all, and unlike the youthful Sea Birds side inspired by the duo of Ndumiso Shongwe and goal-scorer Muzi Tsabedze who stretched the defence at will.

They had a simple game plan, which was to close their opponents quickly and then catch them on the counter-attack exploiting the spaces behind the out of sorts Elias Makako and Menzi Gamedze on the fullbacks. However, their goal was a result of a defensive howler by captain Lwazi ‘Shana’ Maziya who was put under pressure by Tsabedze and in his attempt to lay a back pass to his goalkeeper he was dispossessed by the speedy winger.

He was beaten for pace alongside new signing Vuyani Mazibuko who was the only lively player in the maroon and white ensemble.
‘Nkomishi’ tried to move out of his line to narrow the angle, but Tsabedze arrowed a shot to the far corner for a deserved lead. Before the goal, Wanderers’ Sandile Theo Motsa had fluffed a great chance heading over the cross bar, at three yards, a well weighted cross from the impressive Vuyani.

Sea Birds nearly made it 2-0 three minutes before the half hour mark, when in another swift counter attack, Muzi’s cross was cleared for a fruitless corner by Menzi Gamedze.

Wanderers came close six minutes later, when Maqhawe Mthethwa’s cross was met with a diving header by Sifiso Matse, but found Bright ‘Komari’ Nxumalo equal to the task.

Wanderers tried to regroup after the break, but still they lacked the aggression upfront, and in the absence of the bulldozing S’dumo Shongwe they provided little threat to the opposition defence marshaled by the towering Alfred Musonda.
Theo Motsa could not believe his eyes when his glancing header from Sicelo Junior Simelane’s cross bounced off the cross bar and rolled back to play with the fans already celebrating an equaliser. They tried to pile pressure, but found a resolute Sea Birds non compromising.

The final whistle by Mancane Magagula was met with great jubilation from Sea Birds bench, who were joined by a Mbabane Highlanders fan who planted a kiss on coach Van Royen Magagula’s cheek in jubilation.
On the other hand, a section of Manzini Wanderers supporters voiced their dissatisfaction at the club management which they urged to go to the market for more players.

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