MBABANE – The road to Ingwenyama Cup glory has become significantly steeper for Eswatini’s traditional crowd-pullers.
In a draw conducted yesterday at the Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accidents (SMVAF) offices, heavyweights Mbabane Swallows and Moneni Pirates were handed daunting quarter-final assignments that will test their resolve to the limit.
The ‘Beautiful Birds’ find themselves on a collision course with a formidable Young Buffaloes side. It is a fixture steeped in tournament history; a repeat of the 2016/17 final where Swallows soared to a 1-0 victory. However, the tide turned in the 2018/19 semi-finals when Amathole Ezinyathi, who were the eventual champions that year, ousted the ‘Birds’ with a clinical 2-0 win.
Swallows enter this clash blowing hot and cold in the league, yet Public Relations Officer (PRO) Knowledge Ngwenya remains undaunted. Characterising the draw as fair, Ngwenya teased that Swallows are ready to swoop. “We have a surprise in store for Buffaloes,” he warned. His counterpart at Young Buffaloes, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sandile Gwebu, echoed the sentiment of a fair but challenging draw, noting that motivation is never an issue in such high-stakes encounters.
Equally mouth-watering is the task facing Moneni Pirates. The high-flying ‘Bucs’ are set to visit Green Mamba, a side that has historically acted as their kryptonite in this competition. The Correctional Services outfit holds a psychological edge, having triumphed 2-1 in the 2019/20 semi-finals and edged them 6-5 ina penalty shootout in 2017/18.
Green Mamba CEO Ntuthuko Dlamini made no secret of his side’s confidence, stating they are motivated to face an opponent they have dominated in every tournament meeting to date. Away from the pitch, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the final quarter-final berth. The first names out of the pot were the winners of the undecided fixture between Mbabane Highlanders and Nsingizini Hotspurs.
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