SORRY SIHLANGU CRASH OUT OF CHAN

MBABANE – The nation’s pride Sihlangu once again came out losers against Zambia in Lusaka at the Heroes Stadium yesterday – coach De Pieter De Jongh’s troops were trounced 3-0 by Chipolopolo.

In aggregate, it is 7-0 for Sihlangu in just seven days having lost 4-0 at home the previous weekend in the first leg of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) 2018 Qualifiers. Given the first leg defeat, the result yesterday perhaps turned out better than expected.
In spite of a public outcry last week, the coach De Jongh once again started with nine Mbabane Swallows players – they are deserving players he said in first leg post-match. The obvious fact was that these players were fatigued after a taxing CAF Confederation Cup campaign through to the group stages a week before the CHAN home leg.

He had four at the back, three in the middle and two upfront. Worth noting is that midfielder Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze was in the starting line-up and only got subbed in the second half for Royal Leopard’s defensive midfielder Siboniso ‘Rocco’ Malambe.
Reports from the Zambian press are that Sihlangu defended poorly and as a result were already trailing within two minutes into the match. The tactically superior Chipolopolo were put ahead by Justin Shonga who eluded Machawe Dlamini before cleverly chipping over goalkeeper Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza.
Just like in the first leg, Sihlangu conceded an early goal before an enthusiastic home crowd of around 30 000 at the 62 000 carrying capacity Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

There was a rare chance for Sihlangu in the game when Sikhali’s header went wide in the 30th. Eight minutes later the defence was caught wanting but the scorer of the first goal Shonga shot across the face of goal.
It was not to be in the 40th as Brian Mwila pounced on Nkomishi’s dreadful miskick as he tried to clear a back pass and the striker made no mistake but score into an empty net and left the keeper scratching his head. Just before the break, it got worse for Sihlangu as Zambia netted a third goal.
This time, it was defender Simon Silwimba who registered his name after collecting the ball after Brian Mwila was brought down in the box, beat two defenders and shot past Nkomishi as the referee gave advantage instead of the penalty.
It was nearly 4-0 two minutes into the second half but Augustine Mulenga fired inches wide of the post. Mulenga was back in the 68th but his effort was blocked and cleared by Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu who was lucky not to concede an own goal as the marginally went wide of the post for a corner.

Nkomishi was called to action in the 72nd and this time he saved Mwila’s effort before De Jongh rested midfielder Mxolisi Lukhele for Sifiso Matse in the 74th.
Sihlangu held on until the final whistle after three minutes stoppage time. The 7-0 aggregate score is the second biggest defeat at the hands of Zambia. Sihlangu once lost 10-2 on aggregate against same country on February 5, 1978 which was Zambia’s biggest international win.
The exit from the CHAN Qualifiers also mean De Jongh will not have an official match until March 27 next year when Tunisia come for the AFCON 2019 first leg qualifier. The match yesterday was also De Jongh’s fourth official one after the COSAFA Castle Cup’s Zimbabwe and Namibia defeats two weeks ago in Rustenburg.

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