Eswatini international Neliswa Dlamini helped Hardrock come from behind to beat FC Hunters (2-2, 5 penalties scored out of 5) and reach the Chibuku Super Cup final in Zimbabwe.
Hardrock will play in the Chibuku Super Cup final. The club knocked out FC Hunters on penalties (2-2, 5 penalties scored out of 5) in a match in which they were 0-2 down in the 72nd minute and reduced to ten men after Misheck Ngwenya was sent off for a second yellow card, according to heraldonline.co.zw. A remarkable turnaround in which Neliswa Dlamini, an Eswatini international, played a central role.
A midfielder signed by Hardrock this season, he was moved to centre-back alongside defender Gerald Takwara after the sending-off. A role that fits his ‘Tiger’ nickname and illustrates the strength of the club, who lead the league and are chasing a League-Cup double.
A comeback signed Dube
0-2 down, Kelvin Kaindu’s Hardrock refused to buckle. Striker Prince Dube scored a brace: first from the penalty spot, then in the closing seconds. The club then converted all five of their penalties to seal their place in the final.
“FC Hunters were surely running away with it but we just kept on believing and in the end we are the ones going to the final,” Dlamini told heraldonline.co.zw, highlighting his team’s character.
Dlamini, a ‘Tiger’ in defence
An Eswatini international midfielder, Neliswa Dlamini dropped into centre-back alongside Gerald Takwara to cover for the sending-off of Misheck Ngwenya.
“The character that the team has is the same character that powerhouses in the continent possess,” he said, underlining the mentality of the squad. He added: “I feel like Hardrock can be a solid outfit capable of standing toe to toe with the best in the continent.”
A champion’s pedigree
Before joining Hardrock at the start of the season, Dlamini won the Eswatini title in each of the last three seasons, with Mbabane Swallows and then Nsingizini Hotspurs.
Hardrock, the league leaders, are chasing a League-Cup double. The Chibuku Super Cup final is still to be played, on a date not specified by the sources. Dlamini, for his part, is in the running for the Soccer Star of the Year award.