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BULL-ISH ’LANDERS IN SEMIS

17/03/2014 04:58:00 BY ASHMOND NZIMA

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Mbabane Highlanders coach Basil Peterson (C) being lifted by Saneliso Tsabedze, goalkeeper Sandile Kunene (L) and Karin Bantar (R) after their 6-5 victory over Moneni Pirates in the SwaziBank Cup quater-final match yesterday. (Pics: Ntokozo Magongo)

LOBAMBA – It has been a while since the Somhlolo National Stadium has seen such celebrations - unbridled joy and delight.

The Mbabane Highlanders’ faithful erupted into pure bliss and ecstasy after seeing their heroes qualify for the semi-finals of the SwaziBank Cup Kusenjalo Washa...Thu tournament, beating elite league side Moneni Pirates 6-5 after penalties of a thrilling and nerve-wrecking quarter-final tie.

In front of the biggest crowd since the start of the 11th edition of the lucrative tournament, the First Division giants simply wanted it more and they deservedly won the evenly contested affair even though they largely needed the acrobatics of 22-year-old South African goal minder, Sandile Kunene to carry home the day.
He twice dived to his left to stop Pirates’ second half substitutes’ Phila Dlamini and Xolani Ngwenya’s meek spot kicks during the tense penalty shoot-out to send the Highlanders’ faithful into delirium.
He was rightly named the man of the match.

Few will blame the about 2 000 Highlanders supporters for celebrating yesterday’s win like they had actually lifted the tournament. Highlanders’ supporters came all out in their numbers for the clash. It was sheer grit and determination from their heroes that saw them beat a hesitant Pirates side that was also guilty of missing some decent scoring opportunities, especially in the second half of the clash when the game exploded into a thrill-a-minute affair.
The first half had ended barren.

Pirates’ tantalising winger, Ndumiso ‘Karas’ Dlamini opened the scoring with a cracking strike, about nine minutes after the break.
The goal, had class written all over it the moment it left his right boot. Kunene between the Highlanders’ goalposts could not be blamed.

It took Highlanders eight minutes to even matters through Mancoba Ndwandwe, who was given time inside the area by a ball watching Pirates’ defence to curl in with a left footer into the corner of the net, beating Nhlanhla Gwebu hands down. Four minutes later, Mphucuko Dlamini gave the ‘Bull’ the lead with a humdinger – a dipping shot that somehow made a fool of the normally reliable Gwebu between the Pirates’ posts. Dlamini exposed Gwebu’s positioning to give his team the lead. Pirates’ second half substitute, the stylish Phila Dlamini, then scored with about about 11 minutes from time to silence the Highlanders’ crowd. From a corner kick well floated by Mxolisi Lukhele, he had the lightest of touches to rattle the net.

Extra-time failed to produce any goals, even though Pirates were seeing more and more of the ball and looked threatening each time they moved forward. In the dreaded shoot-out, Pirates scored through Mxolisi Lukhele, Nhlanhla Sihlongonyane and skipper Menzi Simelane but missed through the duo of Ngwenya and Dlamini to hand Highlanders the initiative. The First Division side scored through Mbaya Katala, Lungelo Tsabeze, Xolani Sibandze and Karin Banter, missing only through Sipho Tsabedze.

Referee – Mbongiseni Fakudze (Excellent game)
Man of the Match: Sandile Kunene (Mbabane Highlanders) The goalkeeper decided the tie with his two superb saves in the shoot-out to transform the First Division side into the semi-finals,
Save of the match: Sandile Kunene, the Mbabane Highlanders’ goalkeeper’s two superb saves in the shoot-out were magnificent.

Shot of the match: It has to be Pirates’ winger Ndumiso ‘Karas’ Dlamini’s cracking strike just after the break. The technique applied by the winger was awesome.
Crowd: More or less 3 000 soccer fans.
Weather: Sunny to very hot.