LOBAMBA – Bongani Makhukhula, Sitsebe’s Head Coach, warned regional rivals that Eswatini are no longer the group’s easy target.
Speaking during the Sitsebe Media Day at the Technical Centre in Lobamba yesterday, Makhukhula watched over a high-intensity morning training session as the squad ramped up preparations for the 2025 Hollywoodbets Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Women’s Championship. The tournament, which was postponed last year due to the lack of a host nation, is now set to take place in Polokwane from February 18 to March 1, 2026.
Makhukhula’s confidence is rooted in the team’s recent tactical evolution and a series of encouraging warm-up fixtures. “We are coming off the back of two friendly matches which were instrumental in building player confidence,” the coach remarked. “It is evident that we are no longer pushovers. While our group may look difficult on paper, it will be no walkover for our opponents. They will have to dig very deep if they want a point from us.”
The head coach emphasised that Sitsebe are a side in transition, and he expects this year’s campaign to yield a significant improvement from previous editions. “We are intent on coming back with positive results,” he added. The sentiment of growth was echoed by Captain Simangele ‘Smesh’ Sikhondze, who noted that morale within the squad is at an all-time high. “There is a real sense of sisterhood in the camp,” Sikhondze said. “It doesn’t feel as though we have come from different clubs; it feels like one cohesive unit that has been together for years.”
With several debutants set to face the heat of international competition for the first time, the skipper issued a rallying cry for the newcomers to match the intensity required at this level. “The intensity of these competitions is very high. I’ve encouraged the new players to put in the extra work needed to get us over the line. My personal target is to return with better results than any we have achieved in past international outings,” the skipper concluded.
Sitsebe going through their morning training session yesterday at the Lobamba Technical Centre.