By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – The national football team, Sihlangu, faces a demanding schedule in November, to play three games in November.
The side, under the stewardship of Zdravko Logarusic, will commence with a clash against Zimbabwe on Saturday (November 2) in the second leg of the CHAN Qualifiers. Following this, they will return during the FIFA international break to complete their fixtures in Group I of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers, where they are set to encounter Guinea Bissau at home on November 11, followed by Mali four days later.
Currently, Sihlangu finds itself at the bottom of the AFCON Qualifiers table, having garnered only a single point, with merely two matches remaining. However, the team brought pride to the nation on Sunday, triumphing over Zimbabwe with a 3-0 victory in the first leg of the CHAN Qualifiers. They aim to maintain this momentum and finish the campaign on a high note, with the upcoming fixture scheduled to take place at Mbombela Stadium Saturday. Notably, Zimbabwe hosted their home match in Botswana.
Logarusic is anticipated to summon international players for the AFCON Qualifiers, despite Sihlangu’s inability to qualify for the tournament. It is important to note that international players are ineligible for the CHAN tournament. Should Sihlangu secure a victory against Zimbabwe, they will advance to face Madagascar in the second round of the Qualifiers in late December.
