Eswatini coach Zdravko Logarusic has attributed Sihlangu’s brave goalless draw against Cameroon in Wednesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier to luck and solid defending.
The Croatian said this in a post-match interview with the international media after his team picked up their first point in Group D at Mbombela Stadium in South Africa, one of the shocking results of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With Cameroon flying late to South Africa for the game, Logarusic admitted that the result could have been different with a fresh Indomitable Lions.
“Not to please ourselves, we were very lucky because Cameroon players didn’t have time to sleep properly, eat properly, and recover properly,” he said.
“This is a small thing that helped us. With a fresh Cameroon, it would be a completely different story. Today, we were a bit lucky and caught them on the wrong break. Sometimes you have to be lucky to receive Cameroon in that situation. And I know it will be very difficult for us when we go there [return match] because those guys will try to give us a proper lesson.”
The Eswatini mentor also attributed the result to solid defending. The coach popularly known as "Loga" explained that cutting space and using space was the game plan that worked in their favour.
“Against Cameroon, you can’t give them space and, that is what we tried to do today. Football is: create the space, cut the space, and use the space. We tried to cut the space for Cameroon players where they could show their skill, knowledge, and physical fitness. And when we got the ball, we tried to use the space we created.”
Sihlangu, who anchor Group D with one point in five games, will next face Mauritius on Sunday. Second-from-the-bottom Mauritius have four points and leaders Cameroon have nine points.
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