SIHLANGU MISS OUT ON E3.7M BOUNTY

MBABANE – Sihlangu have exited the CHAN qualifiers with heads held high, demonstrating valour and determination throughout the campaign.

In the second leg played at the National Sports Complex in Mauritius yesterday, they secured a 1-0 victory against Madagascar, thanks to a stunning late volley from Sambulo ‘Masoso’ Smelane. However, despite this hard-fought win, Zdravko Logarusic’s squad bowed out of the tournament, succumbing to a 1-2 defeat on aggregate after suffering a 2-0 loss in Pretoria, just a week earlier.

Had Sihlangu managed to qualify, it would have marked a historic milestone for Eswatini, not only securing their place in the tournament but also guaranteeing an enticing E3.7 million in financial rewards as a participation fee. It is worth noting that Eswatini have never qualified for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals or any competition in history.
Madagascar, affectionately known as the Barea, will join 18 other teams for the tournament scheduled to take place in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda from February 1-28.Among the countries that have successfully qualified are Angola, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan and Zambia. Interestingly, football giants Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt have withdrawn their participation in this tournament, which exclusively features players from domestic leagues.

Challenges

Despite facing significant challenges, including outstanding allowances of over E300 000 owed to them by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), Eswatini players exhibited commendable spirit on the pitch. After receiving only E400 in pocket money for the first leg at Lucas Moripe Stadium, the squad was initially disheartened and contemplated boycotting the second match.

Yet, following an address from the EFA, the team ultimately decided to compete, even though the EFA had to book the trip on credit of E1.3 million to facilitate their travel to Mauritius.
Both qualifying matches were hosted outside the respective host countries in Mauritius and Pretoria (South Africa) due to the lack of stadiums complying with Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards in either country. In terms of gameplay, Coach Logarusic opted for a more aggressive approach, starting Felix Badenhorst and Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa upfront.

This tactical shift proved effective, as Eswatini created several goal-scoring opportunities throughout both halves, although they were initially unable to convert.In the first-half, Junior Magagula squandered a header from a Badenhorst cross, while ‘Sikhali’ narrowly missed the target with a volley just minutes before the half-hour mark. The away side came close to breaking the deadlock 10 minutes before the half-hour mark, but a close-range effort from Feno was thwarted by Sihlangu’s first-choice goalkeeper, Xolani Gama.

Chances

The second half saw Eswatini’s dominance increase, forging a series of chances culminating in a well-deserved goal five minutes before the final whistle. Following a corner, a rebound fell to Nsingizni Hotspur striker ‘Masoso,’ who unleashed a powerful volley that left goalkeeper Nina with no chance. Eswatini nearly doubled their lead moments later, but a brilliant save from a Junior Magagula free-kick prevented them from extending their advantage. Despite relentless pressure and four minutes of added time, Eswatini could not find the net again, and the referee’s final whistle marked the end of their journey in this qualifying campaign. Eswatini had advanced to this crucial second leg after remarkably defeating Zimbabwe 4-0 on aggregate.

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