Times Of Swaziland: TWO-YEAR MBOMBELA CURSE FOR SIHLANGU

TWO-YEAR MBOMBELA CURSE FOR SIHLANGU
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Nimrod Hlophe on 20/10/2024 15:57:00


MBABANE – Is there a jinx at play?
This might be the burning question on the lips of Sihlangu’s loyal supporters,
as the national team continue to grapple with a winless streak at their adopted
home ground, Mbombela Stadium in South Africa (SA). Since the Confederation of
African Football (CAF) deemed Somhlolo National Stadium unfit for international
‘A’ category matches in 2019, Mbombela has been Eswatini’s home away from
home.  However, the change of venue has not been kind to Sihlangu. In the 11
matches played at Mpumalanga, they have only tasted victory once.  That solitary
win came on March 27, 2022, when they triumphed 2-1 over Somalia.
The victory came from goals scored by Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa and Fanelo
‘Order’ Mamba in the second leg of the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of
Nations (AFCON) preliminary qualifiers.  Since then, it has been a barren spell.
Out of the subsequent 10 matches, Sihlangu have drawn two and lost the rest.
Yet, their fortunes seem to change when they play away from Mbombela. A year
ago, they held South Africa’s Bafana Bafana to a goalless draw at FNB Stadium
in an international friendly. They also managed a stalemate against Burkina
Faso, during the 2023 AFCON qualifiers at Stade de Marrakech. Last Friday, they
held Mozambique to a 1-all draw before they were hammered 3-0 in the return
match.
Interestingly, Sihlangu’s neighbours, Mozambique, face similar woes on home
turf. After last Friday’s draw, Mozambique’s coach, Chiquinho Conde,
admitted, “We know, Mozambique doesn’t win at home.”  Despite this record
at Mbombela, Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Marketing and Communication
Officer Muzi ‘Rhoo’ Radebe, dismissed the notion that the stadium may be to
blame. “Home soil is crucial, but the stadium itself isn’t responsible for
the national team’s results. Mbombela is FIFA-accredited and remains a
preferred venue due to its affordability and proximity to home,” Radebe said.
He also highlighted the minimal language barriers and familiar environment as
advantages.  Radebe further noted that Eswatini is not alone in facing stadium
challenges. “Look at Zimbabwe; they will host us in Francistown, Botswana,
because it still feels like home soil to them,” he added.  According to
AnalySport, stadium design can impact player performance. Factors such as field
dimensions, surface type, and the presence of a home fan base can all influence
the outcome of a match.