Mbabane Highlanders reach first cup final in seven years

Mbabane Highlanders 2-0 Malanti Chiefs
ESWATINI traditional soccer giants, Mbabane Highlanders have finally remembered the taste of a cup exactly after seven years.
Gwaza Nkunzi as they are affectionately known, reached the SMVAF Ingwenyama Cup final thanks to a 2-0 win over Malanti Chiefs in a semi-final played at Somhlolo National Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Two first half goals courtesy of Vusumuzi Zungu and Thabiso Mokenkoane were good enough to see the Saul Chaminuka coached outfit to the final sparking vicious celebrations among it’s followers with the younger generation of them now assured of a first ever final.
Even among the players, the younger generation will now get a feel of a first ever cup final taste.
The last time Mbabane Highlanders were in a cup final was in 2012 when they lost to the Lloyd Mutasa coached Green Mamba 3-1 in the SwaziBank Cup with 2010 being their last cup final triumph when they hit a double.
They first clinched the SwaziBank Cup with a 1-0 win over Umbelebele Jomo Cosmos before clinching the season opening SPTC Charity Cup with a 1-0 win over Manzini Wanderers.
Chaminuka was eyeing his second major cup final in Eswatini and interestingly he will square up against the same opponents, Young Buffaloes, the side he lost to in his first cup final.
The army outfit, Young Buffaloes beat Chaminuka’s then Matsapha United outfit 2-0 in the 2017 SwaziBank Cup final – which was his first and only major domestic cup final in Eswatini.
@NoelMunzabwa