WE ARE NOT FAILURES - ‘BIRDS’

MBABANE – One would be pardoned for thinking the national team Sihlangu had just won the FIFA World Cup on Sunday evening at the Somhlolo National Stadium.

The joy witnessed on the day among more than half of the over 8 000 crowd was phenomenal; no wonder Mbabane Swallows acting CEO Sibusiso Manana said on national radio yesterday morning that ‘fans wished today (yesterday) was declared a holiday’ the way people were so happy.

After 28 consecutive games without defeat but 27 wins and a draw as well as three titles already this season, Swallows were bound to be by themselves.
“We played the game with Matsapha United but clearly it was against the world if you consider the happiness the result brought to people. They just wished there could be a holiday after we lost,” he said while also adding they had already won a treble this season and thanked their supporters who had also come in numbers on the day.

He sarcastically said in a later call that their defeat was perhaps not a failure if they can make so many people happy and certainly raise the economy.
Manana was also questioned about their upcoming CAF game against Tanzania’s Azam with regard to the SwaziBank Cup defeat.

“We will regroup especially because our players have the experience and are professionals. They cannot let this get in their way so we’ll regroup,” he said in response ahead of the expected departure between Thursday and Friday.
Swallows had three thirds of the over 8 000 crowd against them as they battled with a determined Matsapha in the last 16 stage. It was at the sound of the final whistle after 100 minutes, as stoppage time was 10 minutes, that the fans showed their feelings of happiness.

It was a never-seen-before atmosphere at the stadium and it did not just end there as even by yesterday this was the talk of the town with all Swallows haters expressing their unbridled joy over the one defeat in 29 games.
Interestingly, what Swallows are experiencing is not new because their traditional rivals Mbabane Highlanders also had it during their glory days. Win everything and you earn hatred from rival fans – Highlanders and Swallows know better.

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