Malta………..(0)1
Basil 47th
Eswatini……..(1)1
Philani Mkhonto 45+1
MATSAPHA—Under the floodlights of Ta’ Qali, history was made as Eswatini faced Europe for the first time, daring to dream against Malta.
Ten-man Sihlangu made history in Europe last night, holding Malta to a pulsating 1-1 draw at the Ta Q’ali National Stadium today on November 12, 2026 in a friendly that will live long in the memory of a nation that had never before set foot on European soil.
It is a night when the rankings tell the truth: only four places separated the two nations in the FIFA world rankings coming into this tie. Malta were at home and expected to win. However, Sihlangu had other ideas.
For Malta, though, this was never the real business. This friendly was merely a warm-up for the decisive 2026/27 UEFA Nations League clash against Gibraltar on Monday, 16 November.
The stakes there are far higher. Malta lead Group D1 with seven points from three matches, followed by Gibraltar on two from two, while Andorra have one from three. A win over Gibraltar would put Malta in total control.
For Sihlangu, this was more than a warm-up. The players believed their historic European tour offers a priceless platform to showcase talent, chase bigger moves and improve Eswatini’s global standing.
The hosts had not faced African opposition since August 2011, when a brace from Maltese icon Michael Mifsud sank the Central African Republic 2-1. Fourteen years on, they found a very different kind of African opponent.
Malta began brightly and with 19 minutes gone they thought they had their opening. A free-kick caused panic, Sibusiso ‘Baraba’ Dlamini spilled it almost into the path of a Maltese attacker, but Newman ‘Strong’ Philiso was there to hack the danger over the bar.
Five minutes later, Neliswa ‘Tiger’ Dlamini tried to pick out Justice ‘Figa’ Figareido with a header, only for Alexander Satariano to intervene.
Then came the blow that should have broken Sihlangu. On 29 minutes, Royal Leopard stalwart Gift ‘Jobe’ Gamedze was sent off after the referee spotted a foul that the Maltese bench had screamed for. Eswatini were down to ten. The stadium sensed blood.
Zach Muscat should have punished them on 34 minutes, but his soft effort was comfortably gathered by ‘Baraba’.
Two minutes later Figareido drove forward, Malta captain Matthew Guillaumier hacked the ball out of play to survive, but there was no surviving what came next.
In first-half stoppage time, Figareido produced the perfect pass and skipper Philani ‘Mkasabuli’ Mkhonto did what captains do. He buried it beyond James Sissons causing Silence in Ta’ Qali going to the breather.
Malta coach Emilio De Leo knew he had to act. Sensing potential chaos at home, the Italian tactician threw on four fresh legs at the restart. It was the start of a substitution drama that would see Malta make a countless string of changes, ten in total, as he desperately searched for an answer.
It worked, briefly. Two minutes after the restart, substitute Basil Tuma rose to meet a sublime pass from Joseph Mbong and headed home. ‘Baraba’ and Kwakhe ‘Stopper’ Thwala could only watch in dejection. 1-1.
Malta pressed. Paul Mbong fired wide on 48 minutes. Wave after wave came. Nevertheless, Eswatini, marshalled superbly by the likes of Simanga ‘Stina’ Masangane and Nkosingiphile ‘Skomota’ Shongwe in defence held firm.
At full-time, the ten men of Eswatini stood tall as Malta had failed to beat them. Meanwhile, Eswatini’s next opponents, Suriname, were held to a goalless draw by Lithuania in a simultaneous friendly. These two sides have a date on Sunday November 15 in Netherlands.
Line-ups
Malta:
James Sissons (GK), Matthew Guillaumier (C) (Stephen Pisani), Gabriel Mentz (Mattias Ellul), Kurt Shaw (Carlo Zammit Lonardelli), Paul Mbong (Irvin Cardona), Andrea Zammit (Basil Tuma), Kevin Cannavò (Joseph E. Mbong), Myles Beerman (Ilyas Chouaref), Keyon Ewurum (Jake Azzopardi), Zach Muscat (Enrico Pepe), Alexander Satariano (Teddy Teuma).
Eswatini:
Sibusiso Dlamini (GK), Philani Mkhonto (C) (Senanelo Nkambule), Newman Philiso, Neliswa Dlamini, Thubelihle Mavuso, Simanga Masangane, Yekisizwe Khumalo (Sambulo Simelane), Gift Gamedze, Justice Figareido (Nkosinathi Shongwe), Nkosingiphile Shongwe, Kwakhe Thwala.
