BY SABELO GWEBU
LOBAMBA – Sihlangu Coach Dominic Kunene will be without Captain Lindo Mkhonta and left back Kwakhe Thwala on Friday, but the trusted pair will be available for selection next Tuesday.
Eswatini national team, Sihlangu, is away in Cape Verde for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and coach Dominic Kunene has taken 20 stars to the island nation. Both defenders are suspended for Friday’s clash which slated for a 6pm kick-off at the Estádio Pelé, recently renamed following the death of Brazilian footballer Pelé, in January 2023.
“The senior men’s national team head coach will miss the services of Captain Lindo Mkhonta due to the red card he got in the TotalEnergies AFCON qualifier match against Burkina Faso and Kwakhe Thwala who is nabbed by the yellow card rule after he received his second yellow card during the same match. Both players will be available for selection in the second leg against Cape Verde,” the Eswatini Football Association said in a statement.
Sihlangu are in Group B and played to a 2-all draw away to Togo in the opening game before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Burkina Faso on match-day two which the nation’s pride hosted at FNB Stadium in neighbouring South Africa.
Mbombela Stadium, one of the 2010 FIFA World Cup venues will play host to Sihlangu home fixture next Tuesday in a 3pm kick-off.
2023 AFCON QUALIFIERS GROUP B
P W D L GF GA PTS
1 Burkina Faso 2 2 0 0 5 1 6
2 Cape Verde 2 1 0 1 2 2 3
3 Eswatini 2 0 1 1 3 5 1
4 Togo 2 0 1 1 2 4 1
