Times Of Swaziland: SIHLANGU BACK  TO JUNK STATUS

SIHLANGU BACK  TO JUNK STATUS
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BY BHEKISISA MAGONGO on 17/07/2017 08:27:00


LOBAMBA – Football catastrophe.
There can be no better way to describe yesterday Sihlangu’s disgraceful 0-4
home loss to classy Zambia in the first leg of the CHAN qualifier.
In what was supposed to be Dutch coach Pieter De Jongh first competitive home
match since his controversial appointment to succeed the beloved Harris
‘Madze’ Bulunga at the helm of the team, the event degenerated into one that
the coach would quickly like to forget.
He got no affection from the fans, who even before kickoff were already moaning
the former Rwanda Technical Director recent performance in the COSAFA Castle
Cup.
Tried they did to endure the pathetic showing by the team, but when the visitors
scored a stunning fourth goal with 11 minutes from time, the supporters could
not help it anymore.
Chants of Madze! Madze! Madze! reverberated at the main grandstand. The
situation worsened after the game, when they encamped next to the team bus to
haul unpalatable insults at the coach, who was sheepishly ushered into safety by
police officers from the OSSU.
The above incident completed what turned out to be horrific day for the nation
which had almost forgotten the last time they suffered such a humiliation
defeat.
Ghana was the last team to beat Sihlangu this close in September 2010 during the
2012 AFCON qualifier. It was Gyan Asamoah and the Ayew brothers who beat the
nation’s pride 3-0 in front of a packed home crowd.
Coming to yesterday’s game, Sihlangu’s last home defeat in a competitive
game was against Angola in the 2012 CHAN qualifier under Valere Billen which
Sihlangu lost 1-0.
Against Zambia, De Jongh’s first blunder was having nine Mbabane Swallows in
the starting line up despite that they have not had a break since June 2016. The
decision left him without options on the bench. And against a highly tactical
and physically imposing Zambians, Sihlangu literally chased shadows.
The team played at a very low tempo, struggling to cope with the visitors
probing runs and combination play. It took 17 minutes for them to leak in the
first goal.
The impressive left winger Augustine Mulenga who provided two assists in the
game, controlled and delivered an inched perfect cross which two goal hero
Clatous Chama headed home at 13 yards out.
Nkomishi was found wanting and his positioning was suspect on the day. The
stadium was stunned into silence 26 minutes into the game, when again Mulenga
picked Brian Mwila at 20 yards whose left footed stunner left the normally
dependable shoot-stopper gasping for air.