MORE MISERY FOR SIHLANGU!

Eswatini ………...(0)0
Mali ……………..(1)1  
Bissouma 7th
NELSPRUIT - A swift strike from  English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma condemned Eswatini to a second successive defeat, yesterday.
Just five days after suffering a 0-1 loss to Guinea Bissau, Eswatini faced another disheartening setback at the Mbombela Stadium, in Nelspruit. This consecutive defeat under Zdravko Logarusic’s stewardship severely undermines their aspirations for qualification for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to take place in Morocco. Eswatini now languishes at the bottom of the table with no point, while Mali ascends to second place in Group I with four points. With four games to go, Eswatini’s neighbours, Mozambique, lead the group on goal difference following their 2-1 victory over Guinea Bissau yesterday.In terms of the match, the hosts rarely posed a threat to their opponents. Under the guidance of Tom Saintfiet, Mali initiated the game with vigour, notching up their first goal just seven minutes in.

eluded

A low assist from Mamadou Doumbia set up Bissouma, whose volley from the edge of the box eluded Sandanezwe Mathabela, nestling into the back of the net.Mali dominated possession for much of the first 45 minutes, despite squandering several opportunities; according to match statistics, they registered eight shots on target compared to Eswatini’s none. This discrepancy underscored the one-sided nature of the contest. Eswatini nearly found an equaliser in the 10th minute when Bongwa Matsebula unleashed a volley that sailed over the crossbar. Similarly, Justice Figuareido squandered a golden chance at the half-hour mark, ballooning the ball wide when a composed finish should have sufficed.

In a moment of contention, Eswatini’s players felt aggrieved when referee waved play on after Kwakhe Thwala was upended in the box by Diaby in a robust tackle. As the teams took to the locker rooms, the home side trailed by a solitary goal. Upon resumption, Eswatini, who are forced to play away from home due to the absence of a Confedreration of African Football (CAF)-approved stadium, appeared more aggressive.

crumbled

However, despite the introductions of Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa, Junior Magagula and Mthokozisi Gwebu, their offensive efforts crumbled in the final third. Mali nearly doubled their lead with 20 minutes left on the clock, but Mathabela made an outstanding save to thwart Sekou Koita from close range. After a flurry of attacks from both sides that yielded no additional goals, the encounter concluded with the visitors securing the match with Bissouma’s solitary strike, who had earlier contributed to Mozambique’s 1-1 draw. The less than 50 fans were immersed in disappointment, following yet another consecutive defeat.  The result further meant Sihlangu failed to score in six straight qualifying matches in all competitions. Over 50 jubilant Mali supporters, on the other hand, celebrated their hard-fought victory.

WHAT SIHLANGU COACH HAD TO SAY:
Zdravko Logarusic: “You know, I have been here barely a few days, but I can see some positives within the team. However, I feel we handed them a ‘manna from Heaven’; that goal was incredibly naive. It was an individual error, but we learn every day. I instructed them to play safely, yet we conceded in the same manner as we did against Guinea-Bissau, where we also lost 1-0.”

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: