Swazi Observer

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IT’S A ‘BIRD’ SITUATION

By Sibusiso Masilela | 2020-11-11

SOCCER – THE cat is finally out of the bag. This comes to the fore after the country’s failure to produce a representative for the 2020/21 CAF Confederation Cup.

One of the country’s giants Mbabane Swallows were earmarked to take part in the continents second premier tournament by the Eswatini Football Association by virtue of being last season’s MTN Premier League runners-up. According to classified information sourced from CAF, Swallows’ name was submitted to the continent’s football mother body by EFA.

A source within the EFA confided that the team’s dream was dented by its failure to meet the CAF Club Licensing deadline.

“Swallows couldn’t make it to the tournament after they failed to meet certain conditions in the Club Licensing requirements until the deadline on October 20. This was alongside fellow crowd-pullers Mbabane Highlanders and Manzini Wanderers. They submitted some of the required documentation after the deadline, something which led to the EFA not confirming a representative to the Confederation cup. “Royal Leopard and Green Mamba were also earmarked for the slot, but they didn’t show any interest to partake in the competition,” the source said. EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe maintained that the country would have no representative in this year competition. “Young Buffaloes will represent us in the Champions League and we will not have a representative in the other competition. ” he said. Meanwhile, Swallows Marketing and Communications Manager Mancoba Mabuza said the club was currently busy and only concentrating on preparations for the domestic campaign. “We are currently busy with preparations for the start of the new season and that is what we can only say for now. When the time comes for us to play in the CAF Confederation, we shall talk about CAF,” he set the record straight. The red and white glamour side was expected to face Angolan side Desportivo Sagrada Esperança in the preliminary round of the competition and then later have a date with South African giants Orlando Pirates, only if they would have gone through the Angolan side. Swallows last reached the group stages of both the Confederation Cup and Champions League between 2017 and 2018.

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