(At Mavuso Sports Centre)
Moneni Pirates (0) 1
Hlatshwako 78th
Royal Leopard (1) 1
Badenhorst 38th
MANZINI – Moneni Pirates showed immense character to fight back from a goal down and claim a hard-fought draw against Royal Leopard in an MTN Premier League encounter on Wednesday evening.
In a classic game of two halves, the visitors took the lead through the ever-reliable veteran Felix Badenhorst, before Mthokozisi ‘General’ Hlatshwako restored parity late in the second half to send the home support into raptures.
The result leaves both sides locked in the bottom half, occupying ninth and 10th place, respectively. The police side, Leopard, remain marginally ahead as the curtain falls on the first-round fixtures—matches that were rescheduled to yesterday following a weekend washout caused by inclement weather.
History favoured Edwin Matsebula’s Leopard side heading into this fixture. The ‘Sea Robbers’ had not tasted victory against their rivals since New Year’s Day 2022, enduring a miserable run that included a 5-0 league drubbing and a narrow defeat in the Ingwenyama Cup final.
Leopard looked set to extend that dominance in the opening 45 minutes. They were the superior technical unit, capitalising on a momentary lapse in the Pirates’ rearguard to allow Badenhorst to break the deadlock in the 38th minute. At that stage, the ‘Buccaneers’ looked devoid of ideas and struggled to breach a disciplined Leopard defence.
The complexion of the match shifted after the interval. Pirates emerged with renewed patience and a more structured build-up, while ‘Ingwe’ seemed increasingly content to protect their slender advantage.
The turning point arrived in the 78th minute. A pinpoint delivery from the left flank by Vukile Khumalo found Mthokozisi ‘General’ Hlatshwako, who lived up to his moniker with a clinical, ‘bullet’ finish from close range.
The equaliser breathed new life into the Mavuso Sports Centre. Pirates almost snatched a dramatic winner four minutes from time when Senanelo Nkambule found the net, only for the linesman’s flag to dampen the celebrations for offside.
Despite a late onslaught from the hosts, Leopard held firm to ensure both sides walked away with a share of the spoils.
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