Ernest bullied in Highlanders win

(At Mavuso Sports Centre)

Y. Buffaloes ……………………(1)1

Owa 30^th

M. Highlanders ……………..(2)2

Msimisi 2^nd, 7^th

MANZINI – Three on the trot.

Mbabane Highlanders tightened their iron grip over Young Buffaloes with yet another dominant display, grinding out a 2–1 victory at Mavuso Sports Centre in a fiery encounter that had goals, drama and even a half-time scuffle.

The ‘Black Bull’ were at their ruthless best from the first whistle, with the irrepressible Msimisi Zwane firing them ahead after just two minutes when he unleashed a thunderous strike past a stunned Sicelo Mkhwanazi, before completing his early brace five minutes later by finishing calmly from Sphiwe Cele’s teasing cross, leaving the army side reeling long before they could settle.

Highlanders, who already beat Buffaloes 2–1 and 2–0 in last season’s first and second rounds, stretched their dominance into this campaign as the win propelled them up two spots into eighth place on 12 points and ended a frustrating streak of five games without victory, their last triumph having come way back on October 26, 2025.

For Buffaloes, however, it was another bitter weekend, coming on the back of a limp 1–0 defeat to Ezulwini United, marking their fourth loss of the season and leaving them stuck in seventh on 13 points as their struggles deepened.

The match was not without chaos as tempers flared in the tunnel at halftime when officials from both clubs clashed in a heated shove-fest, during which Highlanders Coach Ernest Mavuso slipped and fell amid the fracas before police officers stormed in to restore order and escort both camps apart.

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