Parliamentarians from Eswatini got the better of their Lesotho counterparts in a set of sports matches played in Maseru yesterday. The visiting delegation swept the events on offer, taking men's soccer, netball and tug of war. The soccer fixture drew extra attention because Housing and Urban Development Minister Apollo Maphalala lined up for the Eswatini side and looked comfortable on the ball. His involvement showed that the minister can hold his own on the pitch as well as in cabinet meetings. Matches between lawmakers from the two neighboring countries offer a lighthearted way to build rapport outside formal diplomatic channels. Yesterday's results will sting for the Lesotho squad, who failed to win a single event on home turf. Losing across the board gives the Eswatini team plenty of bragging rights until the next encounter. Officials on both sides will likely repeat the friendly contest given the goodwill it generates.