Africa-Press – Eswatini. The national team Sihlangu players are motivated ahead of their opener against Botswana today.
Sihlangu who are pitted in Group A of the 2023 Hollywoodbets Council of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA), will kick-off this year’s regional campaign with Botswana’s Zebras in a game penned for the King Zwelithini Sports Ground. The game will start at 3pm. Eswatini are in the same group as the hosts South Africa (SA), last year’s runners-up Namibia’s Brave Warriors and Botswana.
History
The Dominic Kunene-led squad will be looking to reach the finals of the COSAFA Cup for the first time in the history of the region’s flagship football competition, which features 12 countries. They were promised incentives by the local football governing body in the event they shine in the COSAFA Cup. Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane when addressing the players, through his deputy Steve Horton ahead of their departure at the Lobamba Technical Centre on Sunday, promised that his office would give them something good should they perform well. “Should you do better in the tournament my executive will give you good incentives,” the president said. He, however, did not want to disclose how much the players would get from EFA for performing well in the 22nd edition of the regional competition, which is scheduled to commence today until July 16, 2023, in the coastal city of South Africa, Durban. The national team Captain, in Zambia’s ZESCO United right back, Lindo Mkhonta, said even though the country’s football leaders did not specifically reveal what would happen after achieving good results, but the president hinted on incentives.
Better
“The president said should we perform better, something good will come on our way,” the former Young Buffaloes skipper briefly said. He also revealed that they arrived safely in Durban and they were looking forward to their first match against the Zebras, a side that Eswatini has failed to beat in five previous COSAFA Cup games. Meanwhile, in previous editions the national team players were given E3 000 as a token of appreciation for a win; E1 500 for registering a draw; and E1 000 for a loss each player. On top of that, each player was paid E250 as training allowances.
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