Africa-Press – Eswatini. Mbabane Highlanders narrowly beat Rangers to bag their first maximum points of the season in a lukewarm MTN Premier League game played here yesterday.
It was skipper and former national team Sihlangu attacking midfielder Philani ‘Mkasabuli’ Mkhonto, who gave Inkunzi Emnyama their first win of the 2023/24 MTN Premier League season. It was in the 72nd minute when Mkhonto received a pass from the impressive Emmanuel Ansah, he controlled the ball and let fly a harmless shot, which beat former Eswatini International goalkeeper Banele ‘Bravo’ Dlamini between the sticks.
defeat
The hosts suffered their second defeat of the season after theYlost to Mbabane Swallows in their first match of the campaign. Rangers shocked Young Buffaloes last week as they won 2-1. Highlanders, on the other hand, lost their league opener 3-1 to Madlenya. Coming back to the match, the host matched their opponents but both sides did not threaten each other in the first 20 minutes of the game. It was Highlanders returnee striker Sibusiso Tfwala who made the first attempt at goal, four minutes before the half-hour mark, as he let fly a scorcher, which narrowly missed the target. The other meaningful chance of the game fell on Rangers in additional time of this half as the troublesome Sandile ‘Magwegwe’ Mbingo’s long drive narrowly missed the target. The score at half-time was 0-0.
The second half saw ‘Mkasabuli’s well taken set piece outside the box tipped for a fruitless corner by ‘Bravo’. Highlanders’ gaffer Dumsani ‘DU’ Makhanya rested Sibusiso Tfwala for Musa Dlamini. Just four minutes before the half-hour, Bonginkhosi ‘Manyovu’ Dlamini tried a long range shot, which missed the target. With the game seemed to be destined for a draw, captain fantastic ‘Mkasabuli’ stole the game with a harmless shot outside the box which beat the former Mbombela City Lads goalkeeper hands down. Rangers’ Mbingo was denied by the upright five minutes before regulation time, with Khanyakwezwe Shabalala well beaten between the ‘Bull’s post.
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