TWO-YEAR MBOMBELA CURSE FOR SIHLANGU

MBABANE – Is there a jinx at play?  

This might be the burning question on the lips of Sihlangu’s loyal supporters, as the national team continue to grapple with a winless streak at their adopted home ground, Mbombela Stadium in South Africa (SA). Since the Confederation of African Football (CAF) deemed Somhlolo National Stadium unfit for international ‘A’ category matches in 2019, Mbombela has been Eswatini’s home away from home.  However, the change of venue has not been kind to Sihlangu. In the 11 matches played at Mpumalanga, they have only tasted victory once.  That solitary win came on March 27, 2022, when they triumphed 2-1 over Somalia.

The victory came from goals scored by Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa and Fanelo ‘Order’ Mamba in the second leg of the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) preliminary qualifiers.  Since then, it has been a barren spell. Out of the subsequent 10 matches, Sihlangu have drawn two and lost the rest. Yet, their fortunes seem to change when they play away from Mbombela. A year ago, they held South Africa’s Bafana Bafana to a goalless draw at FNB Stadium in an international friendly. They also managed a stalemate against Burkina Faso, during the 2023 AFCON qualifiers at Stade de Marrakech. Last Friday, they held Mozambique to a 1-all draw before they were hammered 3-0 in the return match.

Interestingly, Sihlangu’s neighbours, Mozambique, face similar woes on home turf. After last Friday’s draw, Mozambique’s coach, Chiquinho Conde, admitted, “We know, Mozambique doesn’t win at home.”  Despite this record at Mbombela, Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Marketing and Communication Officer Muzi ‘Rhoo’ Radebe, dismissed the notion that the stadium may be to blame. “Home soil is crucial, but the stadium itself isn’t responsible for the national team’s results. Mbombela is FIFA-accredited and remains a preferred venue due to its affordability and proximity to home,” Radebe said.

He also highlighted the minimal language barriers and familiar environment as advantages.  Radebe further noted that Eswatini is not alone in facing stadium challenges. “Look at Zimbabwe; they will host us in Francistown, Botswana, because it still feels like home soil to them,” he added.  According to AnalySport, stadium design can impact player performance. Factors such as field dimensions, surface type, and the presence of a home fan base can all influence the outcome of a match.

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