SIHLANGU CAN STUN TOUGH CHIPOLOPOLO

MANZINI – Eswatini and Zambia are 60 places apart in the latest FIFA rankings.

Sihlangu went down 11 places after the Djibouti’s shock 2-1 defeat and eventual elimination from the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. Sihlangu dropped from 139 to 150 while Zambia’s Chipolopolo went up one place from 96 to 95. Both countries want a spot in the CHAN Finals billed for Cameroon. Sihlangu’s coach Kostadin Papic from Serbia is a very strong man and believes in his players – good thing to do and he has insisted they are about to make history and stun Zambia this afternoon. His confidence seems to run within the players’ veins as well, if the words of defender and one of the squad’s captains Lindo Mkhonta yesterday are anything to go by.

win it at all costs

They understand what this game means and want to win it at all costs, for themselves, the nation and the spot in Cameroon. They have attacking midfielder Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze back for this match after missing both Djibouti matches through injury. However, he still was able to feature for his club in the TOTAL CAF Confederation Cup against Zambia’s Buildcon and South Africa’s Wits University which confirms his fitness. There a few setbacks with players like midfielder Menzi Sithole and defenders Siboniso ‘Sithobela’ Mamba, Vusi Vilakati and midfielder Siboniso ‘Gaxa’ Ngwenya were all doubtful unless they pass a late medical after yesterday’s final training at Mavuso Sports Centre.

Other than these, the team is raring to go and the nation can only help by hitting the stadium in numbers as the 12th player – it’s crucial for the players to feel at home and supported in this tough task but achievable one. If they can pull a convincing win here, then away they can have something to protect while scoring an away goal and this could be all they need to re-write the history books from Eswatini’s best international semi-final finish in the COSAFA Cup’ to make history, debut in big continental stage. Yes, CHAN is second biggest after AFCON but it all starts somewhere as Papic put it last week that the country needs to first win COSAFA Cup which he believes is possible next year. For now, Chipolopolo must fall!

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