‘Buffs’, Leopard dominate Sihlangu squad
National football outfit’s journey to AFCON finals continues away at Togo on June 3 ●
MBABANE – There are a few changes in the national team, Sihlangu, to face Togo and Burkina Faso in the TOTALEnergies 2023 AFCON Qualifiers.
The changes from the team that played in the preliminary qualifiers against Somalia, include new faces in Mbabane Swallows’ enterprising youngster Leon Manyisa and Mbabane Highlanders fullback Peter Dlamini. The squad, released by the Eswatini Football Association’s (EFA) Communications and Marketing Officer Muzi Radebe on behalf of Head Coach Dominic Kunene, excluded the likes of Highlanders’ Simphiwe Manana; Manzini Sea Birds’ pair of Mfundo Zwane and Mthokozisi Gwebu; Young Buffaloes’ duo of Siboniso Sibandze and Mpendulo ‘Mpetha’ Dlamini and Mbabane Swallows’ Nhlanhla Ngwenya.
Coach Kunene will be going to camp with 26 players for the first leg against Togo to be played on June 3 away, with the second match against Burkina Faso to be played four days later in South Africa at a venue yet to be confirmed.
Some of the players called up include MTN Premier League sharp shooters in Young Buffaloes’ Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze, who is on 23 goals and Mbabane Highlanders’ marksman Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa who is on 21. Kunene did not make any changes with the goalkeepers, as the trio of Swallows’ Sandanezwe Mathabela, Highlanders’ Khanyakwezwe Shabalala and Leopard Phephisani Msibi got called up again.
The squad also includes the two internationals in South Africa’s Cape Town All Stars forward Justice Figuareido and Angola’s Sagrada Esperance striker Bonginkosi ‘Manyovu’ Dlamini.
Camp
The team is expected to go to camp this coming Sunday where they are going to spend a week before travelling to Togo and come back to play Burkina Faso in the second game. Sihlangu is in Group B with the Togolese alongside Burkina Faso and Cape Verde.
The team is searching for its first ever qualification to the biggest football stage in the continent.
“Sihlangu head coach names his provisional squad for the two TOTALEnergies AFCON qualifiers’ matches to be played in June. Coach Domenic Kunene has named 26 players for the camp in preparation of the upcoming matches between Togo and Burkina Faso to be played on June 3 and 7, 2022 respectively,” reads a statement.