MBABANE — Eswatini international Bandile ‘Mliba’ Shongwe was back on the scoresheet on Saturday, netting his fifth goal in Mozambique.
Shongwe’s stint with Clube Ferroviário de Maputo has been heavily disrupted by injuries, forcing him into extended spells on the sidelines. However, the forward opened the scoring as Ferroviário secured a 2-0 victory over Ferroviário de Gaza on September 26.
The result leaves Maputo sitting seventh in the Moçambola standings, with seven fixtures remaining in a league campaign set to wrap up in December. Shongwe and his teammates also remain in contention for silverware as they turn their attention to the Taça de Moçambique quarter-finals.
Shongwe, who penned a one-year deal with an option to extend, is part of an expanding contingent of Eswatini footballers playing outside the country’s borders. The national team’s diaspora stretches across Africa, with players based in Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana.
Among those flying the flag are Mxolisi Mkhonto at Botswana Defence Force (BDF) XI, Banele ‘Stiga’ Ndzabandzaba with Police XI, ZESCO United Captain Lindo ‘Bhabhalazi’ Mkhonta in Zambia and Chippa United forward Justice ‘Figa’ Figuareido in South Africa’s Betway Premiership.
A move to Ferroviário represented a major career step for Shongwe, with the Mozambican top flight widely viewed as a stepping stone to European football.
Despite his club commitments, national service remains a top priority. While the striker has publicly declared his determination to represent Eswatini at senior level, he was overlooked for the recent Africa Cup of Nations preliminary qualifiers.
Ferroviário prepared for the current campaign with a pre-season tour of Eswatini, facing top-flight sides Tabankulu Celtics, Manzini Sea Birds and Young Buffaloes. The Mozambican outfit dominated the tour, with Shongwe in fine form and finding the net against his former domestic rivals.
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