’landers, ‘Birds’ suffer defeats

(At King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium)

Rangers………………….(1) 2

Hleliso 3^rd, 90^th (pen)

M. Swallows…………….(0) 0

NHLANGANO – Rangers climbed to the league summit with a commanding and clinical 2–0 victory over 10-man Mbabane Swallows in an MTN Premier League match played at the King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium yesterday.

Hleliso Gamedze, October’s Player of the Month, set the tone almost instantly. The Mthunzi Ginindza-coached side opened the scorers’ chart inside three minutes when Gamedze ghosted in from the left flank and swept a low shot across Sandanezwe Mathabela to give Rangers an early and deserved 1–0 lead.

Swallows, who had dominated this fixture in recent years with four wins from six since their last Rangers defeat on January 1, 2022, struggled to find their rhythm. Their attempts to claw themselves back into the game were repeatedly frustrated by goalkeeper Bafana Ngwenya.

The Rangers shot-stopper made a flying save from a Bongi ‘Karas’ Magagula header in the 18^th  minute, then denied Ncomo Gina from a fierce attempt, right on the stroke of halftime. The match went to the break with Rangers firmly in control at 1–0.

The Caleb Ngwenya side tried to pick themselves after the restart, with Lizwe Dlamini’s 52^nd minute header forcing Rangers goalkeeper Ngwenya into yet another superb stop. Rangers nearly doubled their advantage moments later when Thabiso Sithole found space in the box, only to blaze over the bar on the hour mark.

The visitors continued to push, but Rangers’ organisation and Ngwenya’s composure kept them at bay. The visitors’ hopes of a comeback collapsed late on when Celso Chauchane was shown a straight red card in the 88^th minute, after a crude tackle on Mduduzi Mvakali, a moment that summed up Swallows’ mounting frustration. In stoppage time, their misery deepened further. Mandla Palma recklessly hacked down Gamedze inside the area, leaving the referee, Wandile Mamba, with no choice but to point to the spot. Gamedze stepped up and calmly dispatched the penalty in the 90^th minute, sealing his brace and taking his tally to seven goals in six matches.

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