MBABANE – As the final whistle is about to blow on 2025, three players share the honour of being the national team, Sihlangu’s top scorers.
These are Philani ‘Mkasabuli’ Mkhonto, Junior ‘Shisa Gesi’ Magagula and Justice ‘Figa’ Figuareido, who have all finished the campaign on two goals.
Sihlangu took to the field eight times in 2025, with their schedule dominated by six World Cup Qualifiers and a brief stint in the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Senior Men’s Championships.
While the defensive line struggled; conceding 16 goals in the eight games, the attack showed more bite than in previous year, finding the back of the net seven times in total.
The national team’s most prolific outing came early in the year during a pulsating six-goal thriller against Mauritius in March. At Mbombela Stadium in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, Sihlangu appeared to be in cruise control after Manzini Sea Birds’ attacker Philani Mkhonto bagged a brace to secure an early 2-0 cushion.
However, the lead evaporated in a frantic 3-3 draw, with Mayibongwe ‘Suarez’ Mabuza also finding the back of the net.
As the year progressed, Royal Leopard’s Captain, Junior ‘Shisa Gesi’ Magagula, took up the responsibility.
Magagula made his presence count in the pitch scoring in a 1-1 draw against Madagascar before netting a consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Tanzania during the COSAFA Cup.
The scoring drought that plagued the team during September’s World Cup Qualifiers against Cameroon and Libya was finally broken in October.
Returning to the Somhlolo National Stadium’s turf, South Africa-based forward Justice Figuareido put in a heroic perfomance. The Chippa United striker’s brace looked set to secure Sihlangu’s only win of the calendar year, only for Angola to stage a late comeback and force a 2-2 stalemate.
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