By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – International player Justice Figareido emerged as the hero for Richards Bay, scoring a crucial goal that helped his team escape the relegation battle in South Africa’s elite league, the Betway Premiership.
The former Denver Sundowns player netted a vital equalizer against Marumo Gallants during a Betway Premiership match on Tuesday evening. The Sihlangu national team player found the back of the net just four minutes before full-time, keeping his team’s hopes alive.
Richards Bay then sealed the victory with a late goal from S. Bomelo, just two minutes before the final whistle. The win lifted the team to a safer position, now sitting third from the bottom with 13 points after 16 games.
In the Betway Premiership, which consists of 16 teams, only one team faces direct relegation, while the second-from-bottom team enters the play-offs. Richards Bay had spent the majority of the season in the relegation zone before this crucial win.
Richards Bay will return to action on Saturday against Polokwane.
The 26-year-old Figareido is among six international players currently plying their trade outside Eswatini. He is the only one competing in South Africa’s Betway Premiership, while the others play in leagues across Botswana, Tanzania, and Zambia.
