IT’S A TWO-HORSE RACE NOW

My dearest readers... “Blessed are those who have already faced Mbabane Swallows,” cheekily said Mbabane Swallows Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sibusiso Manana on the SBIS morning Sports Show yesterday.
“We are taking each game as it comes and we are not focused on winning the league title,” a modest Royal Leopard upcoming coach, Sifiso ‘Nuro’ Ntibane told the hacks in a post-match inquest following the hard fought 3-2 win over Manzini Sea Birds on Sunday at Mavuso Sports Centre.

Of course Ntibane is down-playing his team’s chances of winning the league crown they won three times in a row in 2006-2008 ala Jose Mourinho who described his team Chelsea as a ‘little’ horse in the English Premiership race. Manana, well, is as haughty and even ruthlessly honest as his own team in front of goal, where they have scored a massive 13 goals in three games.

But as the ancient wise-men observed, speaking is bread and butter rather than champagne and caviar. Each person is as capable as the next. What is an undeniable fact, though, is that the 2013/14 MTN League title race is now penning out into a fierce two-horse race. Before the arm-chair critics slay me for not understanding the dynamics of mathematics and the three point-system as there are still 15 points to play for, let me explain. Yes, mathematically, five teams – from the fifth-placed Young Buffaloes to the table-topping ‘Ingwe Mabalabala’ – all have a chance of winning it. But methinks geometrically or trigonometrically speaking, Royal Leopard and Mbabane Swallows will give the other title pretenders, Manzini Wanderers, Sundowns and Young Buffaloes Algebra! That is mathematically speaking!

Heek, heek, heek, heek ……… but this is no laughing matter. Both Manzini giants, Wanderers and Sundowns suffered a major blow to their title aspirations as they settled for a goalless draw which left them four points off the pace, having played a game more than the two fierce competitors, Leopard and Swallows. If any of the two teams (Leopard and Swallows) win the pending game, then all three title ‘pretenders’ (Wanderers, Sundowns and Buffaloes) would lag seven points behind or even more in the case of Sundowns and Buffaloes. Therein lies the rub.

That’s why for me, the title race is now a two-horse race. The rest of the title ‘pretenders’ can only pray the eagerly-awaited Leopard versus Swallows clash ends in a draw because a win by either side will leave their title chances shrinking faster than woolly jumpers in a tumble drier. They would need both Leopard and Swallows, who, needless to say, have been in this situation many a time before, to suffer what South Africa’s Wits University head coach Gavin Hunt calls a huge ‘meltdown’ for them to stand a chance.  I cascaded to Somhlolo National Stadium on Saturday and watched, pitifully, Umbelebele being reduced to the relegation cannon fodder they are by a ruthless Mbabane Swallows who have made scoring goals as habitual as a cigarette to a chain-smoker.

A team that scores 13 goals in three games possesses an attacking DNA that runs through their veins and sends shivers to any opposition. We, suckers for football, love to see goals, goals, and more goals. I am yet to watch the Swallows of Mbabane play a goalless draw. For the past three seasons they have been the most scoring side and already they have rattled the net 35 times this season and have conceded the least number of goals in the league – 12. Their 24 goals difference (nine goals better than Leopard) is a point on its own. When crunch time calls, it is the goals scored which can prove to be the difference – ask Manzini Wanderers who lost the league title on goal difference to Green Mamba three seasons ago. The scars are still visible and will take many ages to heal.

Given the despicable events of mid-week where issues of muti, confusion over venues for the midweek clash between Leopard and Swallows and the complete disobedience by Leopard, in particular where an official went on national radio, to sow seeds of confusion, there is no doubt this game, when it eventually plays, will be a league title decider.
Leopard’s hard fought victory over Manzini Sea Birds was crucial in maintaining the momentum and the police side have vowed to die with their boots on and will do whatever it takes to ensure the ‘Birds’ surrender the league crown.
Rarely does a game which ended in a draw elicit a smile on the larger-than-life colleague, Dumsani Ntiwane who waddled his way into the newsroom on Sunday evening smiling like a kid in a Candy shop, after watching the ‘sexy football’ displayed by the Moneni ‘Buccaneers’ in the 2-all draw with Young Buffaloes at Mavuso Sports Centre. Those Moneni Pirates boys play football the way it is supposed to be play – sleek passing tempo, silky skills ala FC Barcelona! I would pay to watch Mxolisi Lukhele, Bongani Ndzimandze and Phila Dlamini in training any day!

The ‘Bucs’ Achilles heel remains their profligacy in front of goal hence their precarious ninth position, which is just within touching distance of the relegation trapdoor. As the league title race goes down to the wire and with league games suspended this weekend until month end – with SwaziBank Cup taking a two-week centre stage – the suspense will continue and certainly, this one will be one of the most fierce battles for the Holy Grail of local football in years. We say, bring it on!

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