LOBAMBA – National Under-23 men’s team Coach Friday Myeni has declared that the squad is fully prepared and ready to take on Malawi as preparations ramp up for their upcoming continental qualifiers.
The Eswatini junior national outfit were drawn against Malawi in the first preliminary round of the qualifiers for the TotalEnergies Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to be held in Egypt in November 2027, alongside the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Eswatini will travel to Malawi for the first leg before hosting the Flames on October 6, 2026 at Somhlolo National Stadium, with the aggregate winner advancing to face Algeria.
Speaking at the Lobamba Technical Centre, Myeni said the team was treating the assignment with seriousness, especially given the senior national team Sihlangu’s recent struggles.
“We feel like we have to do a lot of spade work with this crop of players,” Myeni said.
The coach thanked the EFA for allowing early preparations in July, which provided a large player pool, though age restrictions posed selection hurdles. He revealed that the 2005 cut-off date forced them to drop key players like Quality Dlamini and Joseph Kibonge.
Despite the setback, Captain Luyanda Nhlengetfwa remained upbeat, emphasising the team’s shared ambition.
“This alone is a motivation as we want to make history, breaking the country’s football curse by qualifying for the Africa Cup,” Nhlengetfwa said.
Leave a comment