SA CHIEFS COACHES WATCH SIHLANGU LOSE

MBABANE – Prolific forward and Sihlangu assistant captain Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa was on target again.

Pity it was easily cancelled out by a rampaging Burkina Faso who ended up winning 3-1 as they took full control of the match. They took advantage of the tactically inept Eswatini pride, Sihlangu, who could not change gear when they took the lead five minutes after the hour mark in a crowd-less FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa yesterday. This was Sihlangu’s second game in the group B qualifiers to Ivory Coast 2023 after the historic 2-all draw away to Togo last Friday night. Sihlangu will not play Cape Verde in September with the games continuing until next March. It is six games for each country in a group and yesterday’s one was watched by none other than South Africa’s Soweto giants Head Coach Arthur Zwane and his assistant Dillon Sheppard.

The duo’s presence was certainly a motivating factor to both squads as the South African premiership is a dream destination for many African players if Europe does not happen. For Sihlangu players, this should have been the platform to showcase their talents in front of the Amakhosi (Chiefs) technical team. Back to the game, ‘Sikhali’ was again on target for his second goal in the qualifiers as he was one of the scorers against Togo. He netted the first there with a powerful header from close range before a rocket by Siboniso Ngwenya. Against Burkina Faso, Ndzinisa brilliantly took left back Kwakhe Thwala’s long searching delivery into the box from his own half with a first time effort.  He watched the ball fly around the defenders to land right where he wanted it and took with his right, side-footing it past the oncoming goalkeeper Kilian Basba Geeke Nikiema, who got a foot to it but it was not enough to stop the ball rolling into the low corner of the net, right in the near post. It looked as though Eswatini was in control and also appeared to be motivated by the lead only to lapse in defence and allowed the opposition back.

However, more than the defensive lapse, it was goalkeeper Sandanezwe Mathabela’s positioning once again that was exposed as the scorer, Dango Aboubacar Faissal Outtara, received the ball right at the edge of the box on the right wing, did light work of Mzwandile Mabelesa before smartly tucking the ball into the far corner of the net, leaving a way off-the-line Mathabela hapless as he could only watch it rattle the net. He was caught out again by the same player who received the ball in acres of space on the left, soon after Lindo Mkhonta’s red card for a second bookable offence in a game he struggled to stamp his authority. This was in the 75th minute and Mathabela had little to do other than try to delay his coming off goal and closing the angle for the onrushing Dango to fire into the far post.

It was the third goal that summed up that Burkina Faso were in a class of their own, as they ran the show with more threat. Putting the match beyond Sihlangu’s reach was midfielder Ki Stephane Aziz who volleyed unmarked a perfect pass teed to him just inside the box by clever winger and substitute Cedric Badolo. The latter danced his way in front of Sihlangu’s Mkhwanazi before cutting inside and found space to pick the unmarked Aziz. The referee finished the game after two minutes of stoppage time. It must be noted that Eswatini are ranked 147th in the world while Burkina Faso who have played in the AFCON finals before are on 134. The Sihlangu rivals also used all five substitutions with the first double change coming a few minutes into the second-half while Eswatini may have left it too late to make changes and further show their tactical prowess to protect the lead. The result also saw Sihlangu drop from second in the group to third, but that was also likely to change as Cape Verde and Togo also played later yesterday. Burkina Faso remained on the summit after a 100 per cent start. They beat Cape Verde at home last Friday by a solitary goal.

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