Shameful!

(At Mavuso Sports Centre)

Mbabane Highlanders ………… (0) 0

Nsingizini Hotspurs …………… (0) 1

Luyanda Nhlengetfwa 90+1’

MANZINI – Ugly scenes!

The highly-anticipated Ingwenyama Cup Last 16 clash between Mbabane Highlanders and Nsingizini Hotspurs descended into absolute mayhem, as a toxic cocktail of perceived officiating bias and late-game drama sparked a violent pitch invasion.

What should have been a celebration of football for the about 4 000 fans in attendance—including dignitaries—ended in an hour of terror that saw the match abandoned deep into added time before the final whistle.

The fuse was lit in the 89th minute when Highlanders’ Nkosivumile Zulu appeared poised to snatch a late winner after a brilliant individual run. Zulu had successfully dribbled past Nsingizini’s Kingsley Kwakyi and was on the verge of rounding goalkeeper Sibusiso Dlamini when play was abruptly halted. While the ‘Bull’ faithful believed Zulu had been illegally brought down by the keeper for a penalty, the linesman’s flag had already been raised, judging that Zulu had fouled Kwakyi.

This decision incensed the Highlanders supporters, who felt the officiating was blatantly unfair.

The tension reached a breaking point just two minutes later when Nsingizini’s Luyanda Nhlengetfwa unleashed a speculative 40-yard strike that beat Highlanders goalkeeper Sisekelo Maseko to give the Shiselweni side a 1-0 lead in stoppage time.  A minute was left in the three added. As the ball hit the net, the stands erupted not in cheer, but in fury.

A barrage of missiles, including bottles and stones, rained down onto the pitch as hundreds of fans breached the security fences, ‘baying for the blood’ of referee Celumusa Sphepho. The match official was struck by a five-litre bottle and physically tackled by the mob before being whisked away to a police van under heavy escort.

The scene turned even more harrowing as police were forced to fire warning shots into the air to disperse the rioters, leading to a near-fatal incident where a Highlanders number one fan, Elijah ‘Mjimisi’ Mavimbela, was shot amidst the chaos.

*Full article available on Pressreader*