Times Of Swaziland: ZUNGU OUT OF SUNDOWNS CLASH

ZUNGU OUT OF SUNDOWNS CLASH
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BY THEMBA ZWANE  on 29/09/2018 08:25:00


MBABANE – A huge blow for capital city giants, Mbabane Highlanders, as they
will have to play against Manzini Sundowns without their industrious midfielder,
Vusumuzi Zungu.
Highlanders will clash against Sundowns on Sunday at Somhlolo National Stadium
in their MTN Premier League encounter.
At a pre-match briefing at Sigwaca House yesterday, Highlanders coach Bongani
Mhlongo said the player was bereaved and had to be excused to travel back home
to KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.
“Zungu will therefore not play the match. Others who will not be available for
selection are Simphiwe Manana and goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala as both are
nursing injuries,” he said.
He said the keeper was injured in camp while with the national team.
Otherwise, he said the team was ready for the game tomorrow and preparations
were going well.
The team captain, Xolani ‘Chocco’ Sibandze, said they hope to win tomorrow.
“We thank our fans for the support; they attended in great numbers in our last
game. We hope to win on Sunday and we urge our supporters to behave well at the
stadium,” said the skipper.
He said the team was ready for the game and urged their supporters not to boo
the players when things do not go in their favour.
Sundowns coach Mduduzi Shongwe said preparations were also going well for his
charges.
“We are working on transition with and without the ball. We want to score as
we missed a number of chances in our last game,” he said.
Shongwe said they knew that Highlanders is a good team but there were headed for
the game to impress their supporters.
He said the players were all present and motivated apart from Mfundo Mathabela
who missed out even in their last match.
He said they had no pressure for now except for the fact that they needed to
win.
Kingu Pemba, the captain of Sundowns a win against Highlanders, will boost the
team’s confidence. He said they had planned for Highlanders as they played
similar football to theirs.
“They are quick going forward and it is a big team so we must push hard. We
are going for a win tomorrow,” he said.