Times Of Swaziland: VISA SCARE FOR NIGER AT KMIII

VISA SCARE FOR NIGER AT KMIII
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BY ASHMOND NZIMA  on 17/11/2018 08:31:00


(At King Mswati III International Airport) SIKHUPHE – Visiting Niger were
frustrated by visa challenges on arrival yesterday.
The Niger delegation, made up of 23 players, arrived via the King Mswati III
International Airport at Sikhuphe on board a 1:40pm flight from Johannesburg. 
They are here for the ‘dead rubber’ Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier
at Mavuso Sports Centre tomorrow at 3pm.
They arrived in two groups and the last contingent was expected at around 5pm.
The visitors were stranded at the airport for about 10 minutes following visa
challenges and they were eventually cleared after they were ordered to leave
their passports behind and proceeded to the hotel. They were expected to sort
the visa issue on arrival of the entire delegation.
Only French-speaking Etienne Massoye from Mbabane Swallows was at the airport to
meet the visitors on behalf of the Eswatini Football Association (EFA).
The first group was made up of about 20 players and the coach. They are booked
at Esibayeni Lodge in Matsapha. They were expected to have their first training
session late yesterday.
Meanwhile, coach Francois Zahoui sounded confident of grinding out a win against
Sihlangu tomorrow.
“We’re here to enjoy ourselves and win for our pride. Qualification is no
longer possible, but we still need to fight,” said the gaffer, who steered
Ivory Coast to the AFCON final back in 2012, when they lost to surprise winners
Zambia.
Captain Kofi Dankewea also echoed his coach’s words, stressing that they were
a much stronger team when compared to the goal-less draw in the reverse fixture
in June last year.
“We respect the opponents, but we’re here for a win. We have done our
homework, so we will do our best,” he said.
Sihlangu coach Anthony Mdluli, on the other hand, had suggested the Niger game
could be a turning point for his charges while skipper Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze
had conceded that the opponents were a better side as compared to the first leg.
They were speaking on national radio’s Sports Show programme early yesterday.
Both Sihlangu and the West Africans are out of the race to the 2019 continental
football showpiece to be staged in Cameroon, but Zahoui has vowed to win on the
road.
Meanwhile, entry fee for tomorrow’s game is E50. Both Sihlangu and Niger have
a single point in four attempts. Niger are only behind on inferior goal
difference following a 6-0 drubbing in Egypt.