March 25, (THEWILL) – In a closely contested Group B match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification series, Eswatini held Cape Verde to a goalless draw on Friday night.
The match, which took place at the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde, in Praia, saw the Blue Sharks dominate possession, but the Eswatini defence, led by the experienced Siboniso Mamba, stood firm and prevented the hosts from scoring.
In the second half, Cape Verde pushed for the opening goal even harder than before, but goalkeeper, Ncamiso Dlamini and his defence, frustrated their efforts. As the match approached its end, Cape Verde’s coach, Bubista, introduced Telmo Arcanjo in the 88th minute to bolster the hosts’ attacking options, but it was a little too late, and the game ended in a goalless draw.
Their rematch promises to be another closely contested affair, with all three teams still in with a chance to qualify for the AFCON finals. Sihlangu Semnikati, Eswatini’s national football team, remained third on the group standings, one point behind Cape Verde.
The Blue Sharks maintain their second position on the group standings, trailing leaders Burkina Faso by two points. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday at the Mbombela Stadium in South Africa.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
