PALMA ‘WHEELCHAIRED’

MBABANE – MTN Premier League defending champions Mbabane Swallows have been dealt a major blow ahead of their proposed capital city derby match as the league opener.

This is in two weeks time. Their trusted defender and last season’s MTN League Player of the Season, also just as important for the national team Sihlangu, Mandla Palma sustained a crippling injury away in Angola. Swallows were up against Club Desportivo in the final group stage match which was decisive for their qualifying to the quarter-finals if they had won it on Tuesday afternoon. Palma was stretchered off the pitch just before half-time with the score at 1-0, his team trailing before losing 2-1.
He returned to the country in a ‘Plaster of Paris’ after the injury that saw him substituted for defender Siboniso Ndzabandzaba, who fit like a glove. Palma is on a wheelchair but uses crutches to support himself when walking. “We had to push him on a wheelchair at the airport in Johannesburg as his injury is still very new and painful. He’ll be out for a month after a fracture was discovered in his leg. It’s a big blow for the club but we hope for a speedy recovery of all our players,” said an impeccable source in the team.

The source said this was not good for them, given he was not the only injured player but they also had striker Simanga Shongwe in the same situation as Palma, and also needs about three weeks before he can return. Another player who sustained an injury during the CAF games is Sandile Hlatshwako, who was also taken out in the 3-0 home loss to Zambia’s Zesco United recently. Hlatshwako sustained a knee injury and will also be out of action for a while. Worthy of mention is that Swallows also have their trainer Siyabonga Bhembe out injured, sustained from training last week ahead of the Angola trip. Swallows open the league against tough rivals Mbabane Highlanders on September 16 if the sponsors MTN Eswatini and the PLE top brass approve the proposed first round draft schedule. Before missing out on this big match, Palma and Hlatshwako will also be out of the national team Sihlangu AFCON 2019 first leg qualifier against Tunisia at home next Sunday.

Palma got the fracture after a heading duel against Club Desportivo’s first goal’s scorer Jacques Bakulu. It was when he landed that he got the fracture in the 34th minute. Just when their key players in Sandile Hlatshwayo and Smanga Shongwe were nursing injuries, the list is increasing, and the latest in the causality ward is MTN Player of the season Mandla Palma. Hlatshwayo is currently nursing a knee injury while Shongwe is on plaster of Paris following injuring his left foot few weeks ago. Both players are reportedly to miss the league opening game against Highlanders. The club’s General Manager Sandile Zwane and head coach Thabo ‘Koki’ Zwane could not be reached for immediate comment when sought. However, Palma confirmed the injury. “I assume you watched the game. I could not finish because I got a fracture,” Palma said. When probed further, he referred all questions to the management. When asked about the game, he said they played very well but were unfortunate to lose. “We played well but we missed a number of chances. Otherwise, both teams stood a good chance of qualifying to the quarter-finals,” he said. Meanwhile, he also helped the team secure a 1-all draw against Zesco away in Zambia and has been their strength at the back.

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