AFCON’S DREAM UP IN FLAMES

MaIawi........................................1
Gerald 8th
Swaziland....................................0

MBABANE – In what was a case of so near yet so far, Sihlangu and of course the entire Swazi nation was left shattered as the lofty AFCON 2017 qualification dreams ended in Malawi. 

In fact, the country was nursing its first ever realistic chance of taking part in Africa’s football showpiece to be held in Gabon, but the ‘Flames’ as the Malawi national team is affectionately called dozed them all in Blantyre yesterday.

The prayers for every Swazi were that Sihlangu beats Malawi yesterday and stand to qualify as one of two best runners-up. The opposite was what befell the team as it went down 1-0 via an early goal by Gerald from an out of the box free kick.

This was in the 8th minute whereby the rasping shot was only punched into the net by goal keeper Nhlanhla Gwebu as he tried to make a save. The goal spelt doom and gloom and it could have been worse but the Flames were denied by the woodwork and then defender Mandla Palma also had to clear from the goal line with Gwebu well beaten in the first half.

Sihlangu fought back in the second half under the unplayable and expired Kamuzu Stadium turf in which the locals were reported to be struggling with the ball which bumped and rolled faster than the home turf at Somhlolo National Stadium.

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