Tall order as Ostriches enter Somhlolo fortress

Koketso Kgoboge | Friday February 17, 2017 10:55

 

Orapa play Swallows in their intimidating home ground

Swallows stunned the hosts last week despite Ostriches playing the better football in the first half. The visitors raised the bar in the second stanza and the Ostriches chocked in the dying minutes. Skipper Thabang Mosige, by miles the hosts’ Man of the match, was put on a double shift, also providing cover on the wings while at the same time taking care of his primary assignment of ensuring Hlatjwako Sandile did pull the trigger. The midfield of Tendai Nyumasi, Kemmy Pilato and Ronald Chikomo was rendered ineffective. A free roaming Sikhondze Banele took Nyumasi all over the place and reduced United’s talismanic midfielder to a more defensive role.

Chikomo was well guarded by the commanding figure of Kabamba Thsishimbi and the supply upfront to Omaatla Kebatho was thwarted.

It will be a mountain to climb for Madinda Ndlovu and his men if they are to progress past the preliminaries. Swallows have never lost at Somhlolo Stadium this season and in their quest to cause an upset the local lads should also be primed for double the noise of the Swallows faithful supporters who swallowed the locals’ voices here.

The defence has to be up to the Sandile and Ndlovu Njabulo challenge. This combination showed sparks of danger supported by their skipper, Tony Tsabedze who has an eye for a splitting pass.

Lesenya Ramoraka has to be on high alert. The experienced Wonder Nhleko showed he can exploit the space behind Ramoraka when he goes high up with Swallows attacks towards the closing minutes coming more from his left flank.

The optimistic Ndlovu remained positive despite the Swallows well-executed away assignment and the Ostriches mentor had showed no hair of fright as his troops venture into the cauldron of Somhlolo Stadium.

“They scored an away goal and it is reversible, we believe we stand a chance. It will be a different ball game all together (in Swaziland) and we will go there and give them a run for their money,” he said after the first leg encounter.