By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – The National team, Sihlangu will play Mozambique twice in four days in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers.
The first match is billed for Friday in Maputo while the second game will be played on Monday (October 14, 2024) at Mbombela Stadium, South Africa. Both nations are in group I of the qualifiers alongside Mali and Guinea Bissau who will be also facing each other two times during the international or FIFA break.
Sihlangu have lost both their opening game losing 1-0 to Guinea Bissau and Mali. They seat bottom of the table without a points while Mozambique is top of the table with four points with Mali second with the same number of points and Guinea Bissau is third with three points after two games.
The AFCON 2025 will be held in Morocco and they are the only team currently assured of a place in the tournament as the host nation, the remaining 23 spots will be decided through the rigorous qualifying process that will see the 48 nations who are members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) divided into 12 groups, with the top two teams from each group securing their place in Morocco.
Sihlangu game against Mozambique on Friday will be the second for Croatian Coach Zdravko Logarušic after his arrival early September. He is currently drilling the team at the Lobamba Technical Centre with the assistance of Sifiso ‘Nuro’ Ntibane.
Sihlangu needs a in if they are to stand a chance of making it to Morocco. The team had never qualified for the AFCON that will be its 35th edition.
Zdravko Logarušic has been boasted by the arrival of international players in South Africa’s Richards Bay forward Justice Figuareido and Zambia’s Zesco United Lindo Mkhonta ahead of the journey to Mozambique.
