MBABANE – National First Division (NFD) outfit Msumpe Manchester are screaming unfair treatment ahead of their high-stakes Ingwenyama Cup quarter-final clash against Nsingizini Hotspurs.
The match is scheduled for this Wednesday at the Somhlolo National Stadium, forcing Msumpe to play just three days after their 2-0 league defeat to Usuthu Liverpool this past Saturday. In a correspondence copied to the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE), Msumpe United President Mandla Mamba questioned the logic behind the scheduling, noting that while they respect the decision to play on the 25th, the team will have only three days of rest.
He argued that the scheduling fails to accommodate player recovery, leaving his side at a disadvantage while their opponents appear fresh for the encounter.
“We will honour the game because we are compelled to, but not in the spirit of fair play,” Mamba said.
The tension surrounding the fixture is heightened by the fact that the quarter-final takes place on the same day Sihlangu face Eritrea in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifier in Morocco. With the national team kicking off at 4pm and the Nsingizini clash set for 5:30 pm, the overlap has sparked debate over International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) week protocols.
Mamba questioned why the game was not moved to Saturday, March 28, suggesting the committee may have prioritised a friendly match Nsingizini is playing in Durban. This is particularly notable as all Nsingizini players were recently dropped from the national team, following the club’s previous insistence that they would only release players during the official FIFA window.
Nsingizini Hotspurs Public Relations Officer (PRO) Sibusiso ‘Mnotfo’ Dlamini clarified that the situation was a result of legal delays following the Mbabane Highlanders ‘mayhem’ case rather than a plan to accommodate Nsingizini.
“We know there was a case; it was not planned. It was not accommodating us,”Dlamini explained, adding that the club was respecting the judicial process and that no one was being done any favours. When questioned about the possibility of rescheduling their friendly fixture to accommodate the cup tie, the PRO stated that such a decision was outside his jurisdiction.
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