(At Prince of Wales Sports Ground)
Amawele...........(1)3
Frederick 41st, 67th, Mhlengi 90+2
M. Wanderers...(2) 2
Siyabonga 7th, Malwande 20th
MBABANE – In a wet and dramatic MTN Premier League fixture, Amawele produced a stunning fight back to overturn a 2-1 half-time deficit to defeat Manzini Wanderers 3-2 yesterday.
The ‘Weslians’ came into this match already making headlines after their landlord locked out the players due to unpaid E10 000 rent at their clubhouse situated at Fairview in Manzini. The match itself proved disastrous for Wanderers, marked by a severe goalkeeper injury and the subsequent dismissal of a key striker, adding to the mounting crisis faced by the maroon and white hub giants.
Coming back to the first premier league match to be staged at this venue, the visitors started like a house on fire, taking the lead as early as the 7th minute. Mayibongwe Sacolo’s in-swinging corner caused panic in the Amawele box and Siyabonga ‘Ndengane’ Simelane rose highest to power a header past the helpless goalkeeper, Andile ‘Khune’ Zwane, for a 0-1 lead.
Wanderers doubled their advantage in the 20th minute through Malwande Gwebu. The lively forward latched onto a through-ball, shrugged off his marker and calmly slotted past the onrushing keeper to make it 2-0.
The match took a worrying turn just before the interval when Wanderers goalkeeper, Fisokuhle Shongwe, was involved in a gruesome collision. Shongwe remained motionless on the pitch for several minutes and was eventually transported off by an official’s car, unresponsive, before being rushed to hospital. Lihle Mhlungu replaced him.
Amid the lengthy stoppage, Amawele pulled one back in the 41st minute. Ghanaian defender, Frederick Asante, reacted quickest to a loose ball in the six-yard box and rifled home to reduce the arrears to 2-1.
Drama escalated moments into the second half when Wanderers were reduced to 10 men. Following a skirmish inside the Amawele penalty area, referee Thembinkosi ‘Dovos’ Dlamini brandished a straight red card to goalscorer Malwande Gwebu, leaving the visitors a man short for the entire second half.
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