Tired Eswatini CAF envoys gracious in defeat

MANZINI — Tired CAF envoys Green Mamba have remained gracious in defeat, saluting their players for giving everything despite a punishing run of fixtures.

The Correctional Services side endured a demanding schedule, which saw them play five competitive matches in four days, with today’s 8Bet Trade Fair Cup third place play-off against Young Buffaloes at 2pm adding to their workload.

Green Mamba’s hectic run included a 3-0 victory over Red Rhinos, a 1-1 draw against Manzini Sea Birds before progressing 5-4 on penalties, and their CAF Confederation Cup first preliminary round clash against Angola’s CD Primeiro de Agosto. The Angolans won 2-0 at Somhlolo National Stadium on Saturday.

The club’s statement focused less on the defeat and more on the commitment shown by its players.

“For 90 minutes, they gave everything. They fought, they defended, they ran, and they kept the opposition at bay,” Green Mamba said.

“Unfortunately, after all that effort, the game slipped away from us in the cruel lottery of penalties.”

The club revealed that some players ended up playing as much as 180 minutes in one day, despite the normal duration of a football match.

“Just think about that for a moment,” Green Mamba said.

Despite the physically demanding schedule, the CAF envoys refused to fault their players.

“There is honestly nothing more you could have asked from this group. They gave us everything they had,” the club stated.

Green Mamba said football was not always about the result, but also about recognising the effort and sacrifice of the players.

“Sometimes, football is not about the result. Sometimes, it is about looking at your players and knowing they left absolutely everything on that pitch.”

The club summed up the situation bluntly: “At the end of the day, the human body can only take so much.”

After today’s Young Buffaloes encounter, Green Mamba will turn their attention back to CAF football, with the return leg against Primeiro de Agosto scheduled for September 11, 2026 in Luanda, their sixth match in this gruelling sequence.