Wanderers, Leopard in redemption battle

MANZINI WANDERERS VS ROYAL LEOPARD AT KING SOBHUZA II MEMORIAL STADIUM (1PM) ELEAGUERED Manzini Wanderers’ bid to recover from their disastrous start continues when they welcome equally stuttering Royal Leopard down in Nhlangano on Sunday.

BWinless in their first six matches with only a point, Wanderers find themselves trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Against hoodoo side Royal Leopard, they need to dig deep into their reserves of courage to cause an upset.

However, the return of marksman Fabrice Mopina could be what the doctor ordered in their bid to shake off the terrible record. Dependable centre back Sihle Mkhonta also returns after serving a one match ban.

The only motivation for Wanderers is that standing

KEY PLAYERS:

WANDERERS: Fabrice Mopina, Sihle Mkhonta, Bongiswa ‘Romario’ Dlamini

LEOPARD: Junior Magagula, Thami Zulu, Muzi ‘Mzoro’ Dlamini

in their way will be another struggling side that is blowing hot and cold. The police outfit’s last line of defence is proving porous with only one clean sheet in their last five games. This is a disastrous showing for a team that has always won the league three times in a row.

Having won the last two seasons, their record of league trebles is under threat. Coach Edwin Matsebula is already unpopular with the fans following his decision to overlook the experienced Ncamiso ‘Mbhonyo’ Dlamini between the sticks. Mlamuli Makhanya continues to get the nod.

Despite a good blend of youth and experience, Leopard are not getting the results. They have recorded only a single win after another upset against Tambuti yesterday. The latter won 2-1. The need to make hay while the sun shines cannot be overstated, if they are to tighten their grip on the Holy Grail of Eswatini football.