HEROIC MACHAWE GIVES DE JONGH THE PERFECT START

Mavuso Sports Centre

Swaziland..............................1
Maqhawe 89th
Lesotho..................................0

MANZINI – In his first international friendly since appointment as national team Sihlangu coach Pieter De Jongh’s troops showed high fitness level.

The Dutch coach who has two months in the country played Lesotho’s Likuena Likuena last night at Mavuso Sports Centre.
He watched the players fight to a positive 1-0 win on a night they were outplayed by the visitors who were unlucky not to score at least three times in the second half.

Things just did not look good for the squad as they possessed well in the build-up from the back but were agonisingly clueless in front of goal in first half.

Had it not been for wayward shooting and reliable goalkeeping from Sidumo Vilakati the coach would have lost.
They did create a couple of chances but midfielder Mxolisi Lukhele shot inches wide from just outside the box before another chance went begging in the second half.

Lesotho keeper Ketsekile Sam saved with one foot back into play a Simanga Shongwe attempt one on one.
The introduction of Mbabane Swallows duo of Tony Tsabedze and Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze as well as Menzi Sithole, Nhlanhla Kunene and Mphile Tsabedze proved the right tonic for the team.
It was Sikhondze who took sole responsibility in the centre of the pitch spraying all the passes forward.
It was no surprise when he delivered a well weighted cross inside the box for unmarked defender Maqhawe Dlamini to nod home into the near post right at the death.
This gave Sihlangu the win ahead of tomorrow’s second friendly with same opposition.

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