IN CHAN QUALIFIERS OPENER: THREE-LING SIHLANGU HAMMER ZIM

MBABANE – Zdravko Logarusic returned to haunt his former employers, Zimbabwe, as Eswatini delivered a resounding 3-0 victory, yesterday.

This was during the first leg of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Qualifiers.  This exhilarating match unfolded at the Obed Itani Chulumbe Stadium in Francistown, Botswana, amid sweltering temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celsius. The match was held in Botswana due to the fact that Zimbabwe also does not have a stadium that meets the rigorous standards set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Logarusic’s tenure was cut short by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) in 2021 after he managed a dismal record of merely one victory from 14 matches. Ironically, the same coach who faced dismissal was subsequently appointed by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), where he has since secured one win, one draw, and two losses. Sifiso Matse, who unleashed a powerful strike near the quarter-hour mark, opened the floodgates.  Junior Magagula then showcased his prowess with a brace, finding the net in the first five minutes before half-time and completing his double during the six minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first-half.

Both teams will clash once more in the eagerly-anticipated second leg of the CHAN qualifiers this Saturday at Mbombela Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm. This pivotal match will determine which team advances to the second preliminary round, where they will face Madagascar between December 20-22 and December 27-29. The victor of the encounter between Eswatini/Zimbabwe and Madagascar will secure a spot in the CHAN main tournament, set to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from February 1-28.

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