Leopard get the better of Madlenya
R. Leopard............2
Sikhumbuzo 44th, Thabiso 75th Madlenya..............0
MBABANE – Royal Leopard scored in both halves to overturn a 1-0 MTN Premier League first round defeat by rookies Madlenya FC.
It was a different ball game altogether when the two sides met for the round of 16 fixtures, with the inconsistent defending champions netting twice in what was a lukewarm match yesterday.
It was the visitors who made the first attempt at goal eight minutes into the game, when Sethu Ngcamphalala nearly caught the host’s goalkeeper Ncamiso ‘Mbhonyo’ Dlamini napping between the sticks with a long range effort which narrowly missed the target.
The home side had two chances at goal inside the first 20 minutes, South African returnee striker Thabiso Mokenkoane had his free header delivered by Skipper Muzi ‘Mzoro’ Dlamini tipped for a fruitless corner by goalkeeper Dumsani Dlamini.
Mzoro let fly a cracker which went a few inches over the bar thereafter. After the numerous chances, it was left-back Sikhum
buzo ‘Sikhulu’ Magagula who broke the deadlock with just a minute before half-time.
PRESSURE
Ingwe mabalabala continued to pile pressure on the rookies, but Madlenya stood firm at the back and saw out the first half score reading 1-0.
The game continued in the second stanza with Mzoro giving Madlenya’s defence marshalled by Lucky Gamedze a torrid time and it was Mokenkoane who put the last nail on Madlenya’s coffin inside the last 20 minutes of regulation time.
He received a pass from the left flank and ‘danced’ his way into the danger zone before clinically slotting the ball home to make it 2-0.
The victory helped the Edwin Matsebula-led charges to leapfrog Madlenya to move to seventh place in the standings with 21 points, while the latter dropped to ninth with 19 points.