SIHLANGU: DESERVING PLAYERS SNUB DISAPPOINTING

The provisional Sihlangu squad that will prepare for the two-legged 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Somalia is out.

While the technical bench suggests there is still room for changes, there are deserving players who are supposed to make the initial list. Why leave out them in the first place? There is nothing wrong with the dominance of forces players, as the teams are in the top three in the league at the moment. What is a cause for concern is a snub for deserving players.  Calling them at a later stage, provided it happens, will not help, as their confidence level has already been butchered. In the selected team, there is no place for Mbabane Swallows shot-stopper Sandanezwe Mathabela, who is in scintillating form this season. He is the only goalkeeper who is yet to concede a goal in over 270 minutes of football in the Ingwenyama Cup.

Swallows’ duo of Sizolethu ‘Nunu’ Shabalala and Siyabonga ‘Gusheshe’ Zwane as well as Young Buffaloes marksman Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze should be in the preliminary squad.  The latter has hit top form, challenging for the ‘golden boot’ award both in the league and the Ingwenyama Cup. With five goals in the Ingwenyama Cup, ‘Saviola’ thrives in the national team, with man of the match performances to prove that he is a player for the big stage. In defence, the omission of Young Buffaloes new signee Lucky ‘Roadblock’ Gamedze is uncalled for. Before the recent switch to Buffaloes, ‘Roadblock’ was the reason Madlenya goalkeeper was an early contender for goalkeeper of the season.

While it is encouraging to see promising players who include Nsingizini recruit Nkosingiphile Shongwe and Innocent Dlamini from Green Mamba making the cut, others who have been average are inexplicably in the team. The likes of Muzi Tsabedze and Mpendulo Tfomo are among the surprise additions, as they have been blowing hot and cold this season. If the team is to be tweaked at a later stage as per the promise, that should be done at least two weeks before the game to ensure understanding among the players. While Sihlangu play Somalia, who are just a place above the basement on the continental charts, the latter cannot be taken lightly. This means the Eswatini national football side should unleash the best from their arsenal. Consistency is key if the country’s journey to the 2025 AFCON finals in Morocco is to be taken seriously.

One begins to wonder if there is no interference in the team selection. We do not want a repeat of the past year. Some players ended up being left out due to reasons that were feared to be political. The recent Sihlangu Indaba will be a waste of time and money if we repeat the mistakes of the past. When it is time to announce the final squad, including at least three of the country’s exports is non-negotiable, if the team is to be taken seriously going forward. Jwaneng Galaxy’s box-to-box midfielder Mxolisi Mkhonto should make the cut alongside DStv Premiership side Richards Bay winger Justice Figuareido and former Skipper in Zesco United’s full-back Lindo Mkhonta.  Midfielder Banele ‘Stiga’ Ndzabandzaba, who is in Botswana, also provides more options. If Mkhonta is to be omitted again, this will confirm fears suggesting that he has a strained relationship with the Eswatini Football Association. We cannot run a national team with emotions.  It is better to lose with the best and the time to make amends for the disastrous 2023 campaign is now.

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