COSAFA CUP TRIO DROPPED!

MBABANE – Three national team Sihlangu players who were part of the COSAFA Cup  squad have been dropped for the TOTALEnergies African Cup Championships (CHAN) two-legged qualifying fixtures against Botswana.

The trio of Mbabane Swallows’ Nhlanhla Ngwenya, Royal Leopard goalkeeper Phephisani Msibi and Young Buffaloes’ Siboniso Ngwenya are not part of the 20-player squad that left the country for Botswana yesterday morning. Head Coach Dominic Kunene travelled with 20 players to Botswana while he had a team of 23 players for the recently-ended COSAFA Cup. The team was bid farewell by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane while the list of those making the trip was released by EFA Communications and Marketing Officer Muzi Radebe.

Farewell

The three players were present during the farewell function, but they did not make it to the bus that ferried the team to OR Tambo, Johannesburg, South Africa, where they connected a flight to Botswana. Sihlangu play Botswana on Saturday and the second leg match is billed for Orlando Stadium, South Africa on July 31. The winner between the two sides will then play either Seychelles or Madagascar in the second round matches scheduled for the end of August and early September. Some of the travelling players included marksman Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa, Young Buffaloes’ Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze, Fanelo ‘Order’ Mamba, Leon Manyisa, Captain Lindo Mkhonta and Junior Magagula, among others. The squad also comprises of the two goalkeepers in Sandanezwe Mathabela who started all the five matches in the COSAFA Cup and Mbabane Highlanders’ Khanyakwezwe Shabalala. Meanwhile, Sihlangu Coach Dominic Kunene said this was a new game altogether and they would try to forget about the past. “We are not going to look much into the past but the challenge ahead. It is a new challenge. We know their mistakes and they know ours. We will have to do better than the last game and are going there to fight,” he said.

The travelling squad:

Goalkeepers: Khayakwezwe Shabalala, (M. Highlanders), Sandanezwe Mathabela (M. Swallows)
Defenders: Kwakhe Thwala (Y. Buffaloes), Sikhumbuzo Magagula (R. Leopards), Lindo Mkhonta (Y. Buffaloes), Mzwandile Mabelesa (R. Leopards), Sihlangu Mkhwanazi (Y. Buffaloes), Mlamuli Msibi (R. Leopards), Dlamini Peter (M. Highlanders).
Midfielders: Mkhontfo Khethokuhle (Green Mamba), Magagula Junior (R. Leopard), Leon Manyisa (M. Swallows), Neliswa Dlamini (M. Wanderers), Sifiso Matse (R. Leopard), Simanga Masangane (Vovovo), Fanelo Mamba (Y. Buffalos).
Strikers: Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze (Y. Buffaloes), Bongwa Owa Matsebula (Y. Buffaloes), Mkhonto Philane (M. Highlanders), Sabelo Ndzinisa (M. Highlanders).

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