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WORST RANK IN 5 YEARS FOR SIHLANGU

29/11/2019 00:02:00 BY ASHMOND NZIMA

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MBABANE – Sihlangu are enduring a disastrous year. Fresh from back-to-back defeats in the first two opening games of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, Kostadin Papic’s men have suffered another setback.

They have dropped six places on the latest chart released by the world soccer governing body, FIFA, yesterday. They are now ranked 153rd out of 210 football nations with 1 042 points. This is their worst rank since 2015 (176).

The rankings are based on the national side’s performance in the two games, which were played during the period under review. These are AFCON qualifiers played this month during the period November 13-17 against Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, respectively. The former beat Sihlangu 3-0 while Senegal’s ‘Teranga Lions’ celebrated a 4-1 win.

In Africa, Sihlangu are also moving closer to the basement. They are placed 45th out of 54. Number one in Africa is still Senegal.

In the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) region, Sihlangu are two places above the basement. They are on position 12 out of 14.
Coach Papic decried the drop, as he felt it was not where he wanted the team to be. He expressed hope that they would pick up the pieces and reach for the stars. “Losing the two matches cost us,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the best rank in history for Sihlangu was recorded back in 2017. They were on position 88 in April 2017. This means they have dropped by 65 places in about two years. The worst rating was witnessed back in 2012 when Eswatini occupied the 190th spot

Belgium, on the other hand, are still the top-ranked country in the world. France, Brazil, England and Uruguay complete the top five on the global charts.
After an action-packed 2019, Sihlangu have taken a break of about six months in competitive football. They will be back in action in May 2020 during the COSAFA Cup. The hosts of the tournament are yet to be confirmed.