SOCCER – Manzini Wanderers head coach Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe has vowed to guide the club back to the Premier League after they opened their MulaSport National First Division campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Viva Stumbo XI at Somhlolo National Stadium yesterday.
The victory came in a double-header, marking Wanderers’ first competitive appearance in the National First Division following their relegation last season.
It also brought an end to months of uncertainty surrounding the club, which had been dominated by boardroom meetings and proposed efforts to secure a Premier League status.
Despite the emphatic victory, Hlophe was quick to caution against reading too much into the result, insisting that Wanderers’ focus remained firmly on securing promotion.
“We are grateful for the win but I want to thank the team for working together,” Hlophe said after the match.
“The players and the supporters should not take this win that much seriously, because the ultimate goal is to go back to the Premier League by January.”
Hlophe acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges facing the club was the departure of several players following relegation.
“The biggest challenge for us going into this division was the unfortunate departure of a number of our players. But I am happy that we are building a new calibre of players that I have faith in,” he said.
The victory provided an encouraging start to Wanderers’ promotion campaign, with the performance pleasing the sizeable contingent of supporters who turned up at the national stadium.
For Viva Stumbo XI, the defeat was a difficult introduction to the campaign but the team’s representative Sabelo Dlamini said they had expected a tough encounter against the traditional giants.
“We knew coming into this match that it would be a hard one. But I am happy with the way my players handled themselves on the pitch,” he said.
Dlamini said Stumbo’s ambitions extended beyond simply competing in the First Division, with the club targeting promotion to the Premier League after reaching the second tier last season.
The result gives Wanderers an ideal start to their promotion campaign but Hlophe insists the opening-day victory is only the beginning.
With the club rebuilding after relegation, the coming months will determine whether the traditional giants can turn their promising start into a swift return to top flight.
