ESwatini opened this year’s COSAFA Cup tournament with a 3-1 win over a 10-man Lesotho at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Tuesday afternoon.
The boys from the Mountain Kingdom were reduced to 10 men when match referee Abongile Tom red carded Jane Thabantso for rough play in the seventh minute.
Sihlangu Semnikati opened the scoring through Felix Badenhorst’s free kick in the 42nd minute. That was Badenhorst’s ninth goal in Isihlangu’s 16 strikes in the COSAFA Cup.
It looked like Sihlangu were going to take a 1-0 lead to half time, but Likuena’s Tumelo Khutlang had other ideas. Khutlang equalised from a stunning free kick on the stroke of half time.
Sihlangu regained the lead when Khethokuhle Mkhontfo scored in the 57th minute. Fanelo Mamba put the matter beyond Likuena’s reach in the 78th minute.
