U-17S IN REGION 5 SEMI-FINALS

MBABANE – They are through to the semifinals.

In a rare occasion,  a match between Eswatini Under-17 national soccer team and Lesotho was abandoned on Sunday due to heavy rains pouring down 56 minutes into the game while Eswatini was leading 1-0, thanks to an own goal by the opposition. The match continued yesterday afternoon as per Article 11.3 of the Council of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) rules and regulations, resuming at the minute at which it was interrupted, 56 minutes. The match only played for 34 minutes yesterday, carrying down the previous day’s score.

Noteworthy is that the match resumed with the same squad and with the same substitutes that were available during the interruption. The rules also provide that players sent off by the referee during the match could not be replaced and any sanctions imposed by same remain in force for the rest of the match.

Coach Sabelo Mnisi’s charges conceded only five minutes before the end of the game and the one point earned from the draw saw them through to a fight for silver and gold. Pleased with the progression, Mnisi commended the team for putting up a good fight and hoped for a spot in the finals. The squad will now face Angola in today’s eagerly anticipated semi final clash at the same venue. Should the locals rewrite the history books, the squad will then play the final tonight at 7pm.

worked

“The players worked hard for the draw. We continued from where we left off. Unfortunately Lesotho scored but we needed at least a draw to go through to the semi-finals. We will play against Angola in the next match. If our players get enough rest and also train well, I believe we will have a good game because we played Angola in Malawi and they knocked us out in the semi-finals. We are hoping for the best,” Mnisi said. Mnisi complained about the tight schedule attributing the draw to the players’ fatigue because they did not have a day to rest.

“Exhaustion affected my players today and I think that is why they conceded. We will do all we can to make sure that they rest and prepare for the match tomorrow (today),” Mnisi said. Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) Media Officer, Dumisani Ntiwane said they were extremely excited with the results. “It was tough but our boys are through to the semi finals and this is what matters. We are looking forward to the game against Angola, which is likely to be even tougher, he said.

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