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MBABANE - Mbabane Highlanders goalkeeper Khanyakezwe Shabalala has received a national team call-up.
This is according a press release by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Marketing and Communications Muzi Radebe.
“The technical bench of the senior men national team (Sihlangu) has added Mbabane Highlanders FC goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala in the goalkeeping department of the national team,” reads the press release by Radebe.
Sihlangu is preparing for the upcoming TotalEnergies AFCON Qualifiers 2023, against Cape Verde.
The national team is currently training on Mondays and Tuesdays and will go to full time camp on Monday, March 13, 2023.
Another recent call-up was Young Buffaloes’ Siboniso ‘Gaxa’ Ngwenya.
The Dominic Kunene-led charges will face-off with the Blue Sharks on March 24. Despite an early correspondence suggesting that there was no venue in Cape Verde meeting the CAF standard, it was confirmed that the home country would host the game at Cidade da Praia Santiago Estadio Nacianal in Cape Verde. According to a correspondence from the Ghana Football Association, Charles Bulu will be the centre referee and he will be assisted by fellow Ghanaian countryman in Paul Kodzo and Tijani Mohammed. Abdul Latif Qadari will be the fourth official.
Gregorio Badupa from Guinea Bissau will be the match commissioner.
The Referee Assessor was identified as Lemghaifry Bouchaab from Mauritania.
After the Kunene-led bench announced the tentative squad, there were complains in the football circles on the omission of MTN Premier League top scorer Felix Badenhorst.
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Also, there was a corcern over the exclusion of the country’s two internationals, Cape Town All Stars’ Justice Figuareido and Zesco United’s Lindo Mkhonta as well as Green Mamba’s Mxolisi Mkhonto, to mention a few players.
However, the technical bench and EFA’s communications officer kept on saying that it was not a final squad.
The news of the national team going to camp next week Monday means the league would go to an about two weeks break.
Travel
This will be due to the fact that the national team will travel to Cape Verde for the away clash on March 24 and on March 28 they will play the return leg. Noteworthy is that the Eswatini has no stadiums that are of CAF standards and, therefore, they will play their home games away from home.
The last time Sihlangu played their home game at FNB Stadium in South Africa against Burkina Faso, where they lost 3-1.
Effort to get comments from the national team Coach, Dominic Kunene, proved futile as he could not be immediately reached.
THE TENTATIVE SQUAD…
Goalkeepers: Sibusiso Dlamini (Nsingizini Hotspurs FC), Mlamuli Makhanya (Royal Leopard FC), Mlungisi Nxumalo (Young Buffaloes FC), Bhekisisa Dlamini (Moneni Pirates FC), Khanyakezwe Shabalala(M. Highlanders)
Defenders: Simanga Masangane (Royal Leopards FC), Sihlangu Mkhwanazi (Young Buffaloes FC), Vusi Vilakati (Mbabane Highlanders FC), Gift Gamedze (Madlenya FC), Lucky Gamedze (Madlenya FC), Mcolisi Manana (Green Mamba FC), Mlamuli Msibi (Royal Leopard (FC), Mkhuleko Magagula (Manzini Sea Birds FC)
Midfielders: Mzwandile Mabelesa (Royal Leopard FC), Sifiso Matse (Royal Leopard FC), Kwakhe Twala (Young Buffaloes FC), Bongiswa Dlamini (Young Buffaloes FC), Sandile Gamedze (Young Buffaloes FC), Leon Manyisa (Mbabane Swallows FC), Mpendulo Tfomo (Mbabane Highlanders FC), Siboniso ‘Gaxa’ Ngwenya
Strikers: Sabelo Ndzinisa (Green Mamba FC), Thubelihle Mavuso (Nsingizini Hotspurs FC), Bongwa Matsebula (Young Buffaloes FC), Fanelo Mamba (Young Buffaloes FC), Philani Mkhontfo (Mbabane Highlanders FC), Njabulo Maziya (Madlenya FC).