SIHLANGU TO PLAY RISKY FOOTBALL

MBABANE – Three new call-ups.  No Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze. Senior Eswatini soccer national team Sihlangu Semnikati’s head coach Kostadin Papic yesterday named a 24-member squad in a press conference at Sigwaca House.

Worth noting is that, as reported by this publication earlier this week, in form Mbabane Swallows’ lanky striker Sandile Hlatshwako is one of three new faces. In actual fact, its two new call-ups as the third one, Royal Leopard defender Phumlani Dlamini is getting a second one under Papic.
There is also Leopard’s midfielder Mzwandile Mabelesa but no Tsabedze.

The latter has once again been ignored despite being his four goals and sublime form for the MTN Premier League log unbeaten leaders in seven matches, just one draw. He was also rightly named the league’s Player of the Month for August. Hlatshwako has five goals.

Otherwise, the squad has not changed save for the three players who will be part of the squad going to camp on tomorrow ahead of the do-or-die African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2020 second leg qualifier away to Zambia’s Chipolopolo. Sihlangu trail 0-1 from first leg last month at Mavuso Sports Centre, Manzini.

“Tony, if you have three or four players in a position you pick your best but we still have seven players under monitoring who can still make the squad if we fill they are needed. For now, we’ve replaced injured players as we’re not sure Gaxa, Makonose will play and also added where we feel we must and that is Sandile so we have a balanced team,” responded Papic to a question about continued omission of Tsabedze despite that this game could take him and Sihlangu to Cameroon next January for the CHAN Finals.

Papic said every player stood a chance to play in the national team but sometimes he finds it very difficult to select them because at club level, they play more than one position.

“Mxolisi I have monitored since February, a very good player but he’s played six positions already even though to me he appeals more as last midfielder and I can’t tell the club coaches how to use players because we all want results,” he said when asked about current top scorer in the league, Green Mamba’s Mxolisi Mkhontfo who has seven goals.

About Zambia game, he said ‘we’ve got nothing to lose so we’ll play risky football’ and ‘try to ‘surprise them’.
“This time we must fight for results. I can’t discuss tactics but it’s possible if we play risky football. If we achieve that then we come back, start preparing for AFCON next month. Winning a match takes a lot of things and the way I’m preparing my team is how I want them to play and the mentality must be okay. We believe we can do this,” he said.

On the intense preparations by Zambia who have friendly matches against Niger last night and Benin two days later, he said they had the time to camp four weeks but here, it would mean the league stopping that long. He said he was only going to have four days of training with from Sunday to Wednesday before departure next Thursday and there is nothing he can do, it is what it is. The match is next Saturday in Zambia’s National Heroes Stadium.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: