MALANTI LOSE TO G. MAMBA AGAIN

LOBAMBA – Green Mamba came from behind to beat Malanti Chiefs yesterday in their MTN Premier League game, about a week after knocking them out of the SwaziBank Cup.

The Correctional Services side were trailing 0-1 for close to three quarters of the game, following a 14-minute own goal from defender Musa Ngwenya. Left winger Sihle Ndaba had delivered a corner kick into the clustered box, and a clearance header from Shilubane bounced off his colleague for the opening goal. The goal was the only bright side from the slumbering affair, as both sets of players seemed to be suffering from the afternoon high temperatures.

The game came to life in the second half as Green Mamba showed great urgency in seeking an equaliser. At the time, Malanti Chiefs appeared to be losing a lot of possession on the transition. But the trump card for coach Gcina ‘Magiyane’ Dlamini and his team was the introduction of forceful forward Solomon Oladeye who stretched the Malanti defence.

His teammates started exploiting the pockets of space that were created by his off the ball runs, and it was the duo of Njabulo Tfwala and Sifiso ‘Mkhalele’ Vilakati who caused a lot of problems for the likes of Sifiso ‘CJ’ Dlamini, Raphael and Sifiso Ntimane.
When playmaker Vusi Madinane who missed last weekend’s 0-2 loss in the SwaziBank Cup, limped off and on came Bheki ‘Djemba’ Dlamini, Thabo Koki Vilakati’s charges lost the rhythm. Green Mamba scored nine minutes after the hour mark, but Civil was adjudged to have strayed offside, even though it appeared to be a very close call.

Two minutes later, they drew level, as right back Lawrence Mncina dispossessed a woefully off form Sandile Hlatshwako and from the transition, he picked Civil with a clever pass after Oladeye had taken the centre back with him. The former RSSC United player coolly beat Vusi Ginindza. Ten minutes later they surged ahead. This time, Oladeye and Mohammed Audu combined inside the box, for Njabulo, whose deflected shot beat Ginindza.
It was a well deserved lead for ‘Magiyane’s charges whose team had taken full control of the match, and it could have been worse.

The defeat denied Malanti Chiefs a chance to gatecrash the title race, while for Green Mamba, the win pushes them to within a touching distance of the top four teams with 24 points, one behind their opponents.
REFEREE: Simanga Nhleko

ASSISTANTS: Petros Mbingo, Sifiso Nxumalo
MAN OF THE MATCH: Green Mamba’s Njabulo Tfwala was the main man, even though Malanti Chiefs’ Sabelo Hlatshwako also deserves a special mention in the match despite being on the losing side.
MOAN OF THE DAY: The dreary first half performance was sleep inducing, but the second half improved drastically for the less than 200 fans at the venue.
GOAL OF THE DAY: It has to be Green Mamba’s equaliser by Civil Matsebula. Both the pass from Lawrence and the finishing from the forward were superb.

SAVE OF THE DAY: It has to Vusi Ginindza’s bravery in blocking Civil’s goal bound shot after the player had beaten the defence for a defence splitting pass from Mbuso Gina in the first half.
MISS OF THE DAY:  Civil failed to direct the ball into the net at five yards from an Oladeye cross 15 minutes from time.
WEATHER: Partly cloudy, but very hot
CROWD: Less than 200

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