(At Mayaluka Stadium)
Royal Leopard ……………………2
Malangeni 25th, ‘Thikithi’ 72nd
Young Buffaloes ………………….3
Owa 12th, Siphosethu 16th, Sandile 87th
BIG BEND – Five goals, a fierce forces derby and a last-gasp winner!
Young Buffaloes edged Royal Leopard 3-2 at Mayaluka Stadium yesterday to claim bragging rights and leapfrog their rivals into second spot on the MTN Premier League standings.
Sandile Mbingo delivered the decisive blow in the 87th minute, settling a pulsating encounter that swung between Buffaloes’ first-half dominance and Leopard’s spirited second-half fightback.
Beyond the three points, the victory carried historical significance for the army side, whose latest triumph added another chapter to a rivalry featuring 36 recorded meetings since 2009.
The latest result gave Buffaloes the edge in head-to-head encounters, which previously stood at eight wins apiece and 20 draws.
The victory also ended Leopard’s four-match unbeaten run, while Buffaloes returned to winning ways after drawing with Ezulwini United last weekend. The result leaves a four-team logjam on 10 points at the summit, where Green Mamba remain top on goal difference, with Buffaloes moving up to second place via head-to-head records and Leopard dropping to third.
Elsewhere in the weekend action, defending champions Nsingizini Hotspurs dropped crucial points at home after being held to a 1-1 draw by Ubombo Sugar at the King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium. Meanwhile, Celtics recorded their maiden win of the campaign by defeating Ezulwini United 1-0 at Tambankulu Stadium.
Buffaloes seized control early in Big Bend, striking twice inside the opening 16 minutes. Owa Matsebula opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finding space before beating goalkeeper Sikelela Maseko with a clinical finish across goal.
Four minutes later, Siphosethu Mabilisa doubled the advantage. He controlled the ball, peeled away from a defender and unleashed a low shot past Maseko to leave Leopard facing an uphill battle.
Malangeni Dlamini breathed life into Leopard’s challenge in the 25th minute, unleashing a strike from just outside the penalty area that caught goalkeeper Simo Ndzinisa off guard to reduce the deficit to 2-1 before the interval.
Leopard pushed forward after the restart, though the second half was punctuated by drama when referee Sanele Ntimane initially sent off Leopard’s Ayanda Kunene before rescinding the red card after consulting assistant referee Zamani Simelane.
Leopard eventually drew level in the 72nd minute following a costly goalkeeping error. Ndzinisa failed to control the ball cleanly, allowing Thokozani ‘Thikithi’ Dlamini to pounce, dribble past the last defender and slot home to make it 2-2.
Just as the contest appeared destined for a draw, Buffaloes struck three minutes from time. Ali Matse split the Leopard defence with a perfectly weighted pass, and Sandile Mbingo kept his composure to chip the advancing Maseko, sending the ball into an unguarded net.
Leopard desperately searched for another equaliser, with Ayanda Gadlela coming close with a late bicycle kick that sailed just over the crossbar.
When the final whistle sounded, Buffaloes had secured the victory, bragging rights and second spot on the log in a derby that delivered drama until the final kick.
