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CAN SIHLANGU SURVIVE IN EGYPT’S LIONS’ DEN?

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My dearest readers... “Journalism without a moral position is impossible. Every journalist is a moralist. It’s absolutely unavoidable,”


That’s not me saying it but one French writer, Marguerite Duras. Some would argue that ‘morality’ and the ‘media’ cannot be used in the same sentence. I would obviously argue otherwise.


Putting together today’s column has been painstakingly difficult, given Sihlangu’s AFCON 2019 qualifier against the second-ranked team in Africa, the ‘Pharaohs’ of Egypt on Friday night.

Given a chance, I would have preferred to turn a blind eye to this ‘no contest’ clash, by all standards but then a man has got to do what a man has got to do. I have to take a moral position, meticulously as it is human possible given all the odds stacked against my beloved but underwhelming Sihlangu Semnikati.


Even the most ardent Sihlangu supporter would not bet on the nation’s pride pulling a shocker of a result against Egypt at home on Friday at the 30 000 seater Al-Salam Stadium. This is the same stadium where the Pharaoh’s annihilated listless Niger 6-0 on September 8 with popular Liverpool man, Mohammed Salah scoring a brace, missing two penalties and making two assists.


Lest we forget, the last time Sihlangu visited the Land of the Pyramid, under the (mis)guidance of one Valere Billen, we were massacred 10-0. Yes, you read it right – 10-0!
That night was Sihlangu’s low point in so many ways – a night when disillusionment with the national side spilled over into hatred and derision.
One would expect Anthony Mdluli’s charges to banish forever into a grim and eagerly forgotten past such torturous performances and results.


But, in all accounts, it does feel like, at best, re-visiting a crime scene this Friday for Sihlangu and at worst, being forced to confront a guilty secret.
The truth and reality is that there is just no difference between Valere Billen’s hapless squad and the current team also under a coach, Anthony Mdluli, who does not inspire confidence and is yet to record a victory for Sihlangu in an official match. Not that he has won anything worth remembering as one of the most qualified coaches in the kingdom.


Basically, if truth be told, Sihlangu’s chances of causing the biggest upset in African football on Friday are very slim or next to zero. In fact slim has left town!
Like I said earlier, even an eternal optimist would dismiss as a delusion of grandeur any assertion that Sihlangu would upset the Pharaoh’s at home. Even the self-confessed Sihlangu fan who edits this newspaper would fire me on a phantom charge of amnesia if I would abuse this platform, the State-Of-the-Nation-Sports-Address (SONSA), to say this was possibility. I don’t suffer fools gladly, fortunately.


Even with the exclusion of notable top players like Al Ahly’s Walid Soliman, Zamalek’s Mahmoud Alaa, Al Masry’s Islam Issa, Arab Contractors hitman Ahmed Ali and Taher Mohamed Taher, the Pharoah’s ranked 64th in the world – 72 places better than the 136-ranked Sihlangu – still poise as much danger as flashing a red flag in front of a raging Spanish Bull.
Believe you me, I am trying my damndest to be as patriotic as a bonafide liSwati as it is humanly possible, but reality tells me, the best shot we can give is to go down with a ‘respectable’ scoreline, not the 10-0 massacre we endured last time.


Let Friday’s game be about new beginnings, not old horrors. Let it be all about setting out on a new journey, not retracing the steps of a tortured route march.
But we all know, we are taking a knife to a gun’s fight. We are not expecting much against a team that recently took part in the 2018 World Cup, which was their third World Cup appearance, ranked second in Africa, led by an astute technician in Javier Aguirre. Comparing him with our home-grown coach, Anthony Mdluli, would be akin to comparing chalk and cheese; fire and ice and apples and oranges (and the only time they mix is in a fruit salad!).
So sit down, dear reader, just wish Sihlangu a safe trip to the Land of Nile. Mdluli and his boys can enjoy the Land of the pyramids and mummies. Never mind the result. As long as they lose with dignity, it wouldn’t matter really. Can we move on already...

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