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COLD FAILS TO DETER SIZZLING SIHLANGU

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(At Somhlolo National Stadium)

LOBAMBA – Temperatures dropped to almost unbearable levels yesterday morning as an extremely cold wave hit Somhlolo National Stadium at around 9:30am.


It only helped to spur the Sihlangu players on. They were already on the artificial pitch getting ready for war – the second leg CHAN qualifier clash against Angola, which is billed for Saturday in Luanda, Angola. It looks to be a mammoth task considering the odds. Sihlangu need at least a 3-3 draw or any kind of win to advance to the next stage after having battled bravely to hold the Angolans to a 2-2 draw in the first leg game played at Somhlolo National Stadium.

Yesterday, hardly 48 hours before boarding a plane, the squad’s players looked sizzling in chilly conditions, as they sweated it out for almost two hours under the watchful eye of head coach Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga, his assistant Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe and goalkeeper coach Sipho ‘Shilton’ Dube.

The training:

Emphasis, according to coach Bulunga, was on pressing and man marking, as the technical bench noted that the Angolans had too much space during the first leg game.


To their advantage, the Sihlangu technical bench readily admits that the opposition is technically good, hence the coaches observed that giving them too much space would be suicidal. Bulunga and his assistants seem to be getting it spot on.


This kind of training will help the players concentrate for the duration of what should be an energy-sapping battle in Angola. Of course Sihlangu should expect hostile conditions in that country. It was good to note, during the mini game, that the core of the side seemed to be in good physical condition. The razor sharp forward line of Mthunzi ‘Xavi’ Mkhontfo and Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa looked awesome going forward.

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