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LEOPARD STRETCH LEAD AS BIRDS, BULL SUFFER

By Xolisile Sacolo | 2025-01-05

Mbabane Swallows............... (0)0
Young Buffaloes.................... (1)0
SOCCER – Royal Leopard extended their lead at the top of the MTN Premier League table with a commanding 3-0 victory over Manzini Sea Birds yesterday.

Meanwhile, Mbabane Swallows’ struggles continued as they suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat to Young Buffaloes in a match clouded by uncertainty.

Despite swirling doubts about whether the match would take place, Mbabane Swallows showed up at Mavuso Sports Centre with a full squad, minus their key player Siyabonga ‘Gusheshe’ Zwane, who recently announced his departure. The ‘Beautiful Birds’, battling financial woes and limited training sessions, put up a brave fight against their more stable opponents.

The game’s only goal came in the 31st minute when Young Buffaloes capitalised on a defensive lapse by the Swallows backline.

Derrick Sifundza, receiving a perfectly weighted pass from Ali Matse, unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box. The ball soared past Swallows’ goalkeeper Bongiswa ‘Romario’ Dlamini into the bottom corner, giving Buffaloes the lead.

Mbabane Swallows worked tirelessly in search of the equaliser. Sandile Hlatshwako and Bongi ‘Karas’ Magagula were active in the attack but failed to convert their chances.
In the second half, Swallows dominated possession, showing fluid passing and improved tempo.

Despite their efforts, they couldn’t break through Buffaloes’ disciplined defence.
Swallows’ goalkeeper delivered a standout performance, making critical saves that kept the match within reach.

Late substitutions, including Leon Manyisa and Ayanda Gadlela, added urgency to their attack. Newman Philiso nearly turned the game around with a thunderous long-range shot that rattled the crossbar, but it wasn’t to be.

As Swallows’ frustrations mounted, Buffaloes held firm, focusing on defending in the final minutes to secure their 1-0 victory.

This defeat deepens Swallows’ woes, while Royal Leopard’s emphatic win over Sea Birds cements their dominance in the league.

With Royal Leopard pulling away at the top, the pressure mounts on Mbabane Swallows to find solutions to their off-field challenges and rediscover their winning form.

...We will start training on Monday - Birds

Soccer – There’s no rest for the wicked.
Mbabane Swallows assistant coach Nsindiso Gama has announced that the team will resume training tomorrow.

This comes amidst ongoing financial challenges that have left the red and white outfit unable to pay players their salaries.

Gama made this statement following their 0-1 loss to Young Buffaloes yesterday at Mavuso Sports Centre.

“The team is expected to return to training on Monday, and we hope the challenges we are facing will be resolved as soon as possible. Despite not training, I am happy that the boys showed up and gave their best, but we were unlucky,” he said.

He emphasised that the management was holding meetings day and night to address the issues. According to Gama, they were working tirelessly to find a permanent solution to the team’s problems.

Meanwhile, Young Buffaloes head coach Dominic Kunene congratulated his players for securing the three points.

The former national team coach acknowledged the difficulty of playing after a break but praised his team’s performance.

“We knew we were playing against a team that had not been training, and we did not underestimate them. We stuck to our game plan, and the players executed it well,” he said.

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