Bruce Kangwa for Mbabane Swallows?

Noel Munzabwa .

FORMER Highlanders midfielder, Bruce Kangwa is headed for Somhlolo National Stadium when Azam of Tanzania date Swazi soccer giants, Mbabane Swallows in the first round of this yeara��s Caf Confederations Cup set for next month.

Talent Maphosaa��s Swallows booked a trip to Dar es Salam on the weekend 10-12 March with the second leg set for Somhlolo National Stadium a week later with Kangwa set to be part of that Azam squad.

This was made possible after Swallows survived the Madinda Ndlovu coached Orapa United scare in which the diamond rich Botswana side fell eight minutes short of progressing to the next round in their first-ever Africa Safari dance.

Orapa United came, they saw but despite falling by way side 2-3 (2-4 aggregate), Ndlovua��s team certainly left an indelible mark at the Somhlolo National Stadium, becoming only the third team to score two past Mbabane Swallows in the last nine months something that a dozen other opponents have failed to do so far.

With former Douglas Warriors midfielder Tendai Nyumasi, they fell to a late surge in a game Maphosa sat out the entire 90 minutes on the bench.

Notably it was the first time this year that Thabo Koki Vilakatia��s lads cracked twice showing their vulnerability especially from the set pieces something that won the visiting Madinda Ndlovu a lot of admiration from the neutrals.

Swallows had last conceded two goals in a match on the 25th of September when they beat nemesis Mbabane Highlanders 3-2 in an MTN premiership tie, a mere month after a 2-2 draw against Manzini Wanderers in the SPTC Charity Shield semi-final.

And for the next 24 matches, no team could force Swallows to take the centre more than once apart from the match kick offs, and for that particular reason it was a moment in the sun for Orapa United on Swazi soil.

Not many could even believe that it was the Ostrichesa�� debut Africa Soccer Safari dance and had their endurance lasted crucially solid at the dearth of both halves Orapa United could have surged ahead to meet Azam from Tanzania in the next round.

a�?They (Orapa United) are not easy opponents trust me, they really knew what they wanted was goals and they got the two. It was after they scored first that I had to tell my players to go out even if it meant we score 20 and Orapa score 19.

a�?Somehow we had to capitalise on their lack of experience and lack of concentration pouncing on the frailties in the dying minutes of both halves to score. Otherwise no one should take them lightly,a�? said Vilakati.

As if the two coaches attended the same soccer technical school, Ndlovu blamed the lapses on lack of experience.

a�?I repeat Swallows are not a super team, they just beat us because they are more experienced otherwise they will be the first to admit we gave them a run for their money. We prepared well coming into this game, we knew we needed two away goals which we got.
@NoelMunzabwa