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MINISTER ‘MADZE’ THROWS CHALLENGE TO SIHLANGU

05/06/2023 05:30:00 Mengameli Mabuza

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MBABANE – Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga says if there can be enough preparations, the country can do well in the COSAFA Cup.

Minister Bulunga said this in his key note address at the Scara Thindwa foundation soccer kit presentation and draw at Mountain View in Ezulwini a few days ago. The minister, who was once the head coach of the senior national team, Sihlangu, mentioned that if the team could have enough preparations for the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) tournament which will take place next month in South Africa, the players might perform well.

“We have seen the draw and the teams in Group A are very strong but if we can practice and have enough friendly games we can win the group. The games won’t be easy for the boys but I believe we can reach the knockout stages and even reach the finals. I don’t think it’s a jinx that we cannot win the cup but it needs planning. I also went to the Cosafa cup and we got a bronze medal. I think even the current technical team was able to get the bronze medal,” he said.

Experience

The minister went on to say that the current players selected had the experience to do better than the previous year. “We need to rotate and manage the players in the tournament if we want to avoid cases of fatigue as the competition goes. In many cases, the players play a lot of games and get tired going into the knockout, but if we can be cautious going into the Cosafa, I believe we can win the tournament,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, the Eswatini national team played practice matches with Lesotho in the past weekend at Mavuso Sports Centre. The Dominic Kunene-coached side lost 1-2 in the opening game and but were able to win the second match with 1-0 margin. The COSAFA Cup or COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup is an annual tournament for teams from southern Africa.

The national team, Sihlangu Semnikati, have been placed in Group A in The Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup 2023 that will be staged in Durban from July 5-16.Dominic Kunene’s charges will face the hosts, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, Namibia and Botswana. Sihlangu lost in sudden death penalties against guest country, Senegal in the quarter-finals in the tournament held in Durban last year.