‘WESLIANS’ LUCKY ESCAPE
● Wanderers two places above drop zone after 1-all draw with fellow strugglers Ezulwini Utd
NHLANGANO – Despite securing a draw, Manzini Wanderers made a commendable leap of two places on the ladder.
This came after the ‘Weslians’fought back to rescue a point in a 1-all draw with Ezulwini United in a pulsating MTN Premier League relegation six-pointer played here yesterday, amid
a thunderstorm that was witnessed by over 300 passionate fans. The draw propelled the visitors to the 11th spot from the 13th position, while United managed to move up one place from the bottom of the standings. The game, which started with great intensity, had to be momentarily halted due to the thunderstorm for about five minutes around the quarter-hour mark. Following the tightly contested match’s resumption, the hosts were the first to break the deadlock.
Msimisi Zwane capitalised on a goal-mouth scramble after a corner kick, finding the back of the net just five minutes before the half-hour mark, catching the goalkeeper Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza off guard and giving his side an early lead. The visitors, however, found an equaliser through Hassan Balogun four minutes after the half-hour mark. Hassan’s initial shot was deflected, and he adeptly finished past goalkeeper Siyabonga Magagula, who was trying to recover from the first save. In the first half’s added time, Mlamuli ‘Mlaba’ Nkambule had an opportunity to give his side the lead into the break, but his volley narrowly missed the target after Magagula spilled the ball from a Hassan cross.
Upon resumption, the hosts seemed to have regained their momentum and came close to taking the lead on numerous occasions, only to be dispossessed, especially in the final third. Chances were few and far between during the latter stages of the game and the sides were still level pegging at the end of proceedings.