Akayiphuphi eyokudlala nePirates kweyeCAF
IMAMELODI Sundowns ijulukela ukugwema i-Orlando Pirates emqhudelwaneni iCAF Champions League osibheke kuvuthondaba.
ISundowns nePirates benza kahle kulo mqhudelwano kwazise basenethuba lokudlulela kumaquarterfinal. AmaBrazilians asendaweni yesibili nakuba elingana ngamaphuzu amane neWydad Casablanca ehlezi esicongweni kuGroup A.
IPirates ihlezi eqhulwini kuGroup B nakuba ilingana ngamaphuzu ayisihlanu ne-Esperance. EZimnyama ziphezulu ngenxa yokuthi azikangenelwa yigoli kwiChampions League. Kusasa, iPirates izobhekana ne-Esperance yaseTunisia ekuhambeni ngo-3 ntambama.
ISundowns ivakashele i-Asec Mimosa yase-Ivory Coast. Umdlalo uzoqala ngo-6 ntambama. Emuva kwale midlalo, iqembu ngalinye lizosalelwa yimidlalo emibili.
Yilapho abaqeqeshi abaqala khona ukushaya izibalo ukuze babone amaqembu abangase babhekane nawo kumaquarterfinal. Amaqembu amabili azoqeda ehlezi phezulu eqoqweni ngalinye kwamane azodlulela kuma-quartefinal. Lawo azoqeda eqhulwini azoqhathwa naqede endaweni yesibili iqoqo ngalinye.
Umqeqeshi weSundowns uPitso Mosimane, usephumele obala ngokuthi ufuna ukuqeda eseqhulwini ukuze ezogwema izingqungqulu.
“Ekugcineni ufuna ukuqeda imidlalo uhlezi phezulu eqoqweni ngoba wonke lawo maqembu azobekwa eceleni, abaqede endaweni yesibili, babekwe eceleni nabo. Umlando ukutshela ukuthi iWydad noma iSundowns ezoqeda phezulu. Kodwa awukwazi ukukusho lokho kuze kuba sesiqedile ngoba ibhola liyagingqika. Umlando uthi i-Al Ahly izoqeda phezulu. Umlando uthi iPirates noma i-Esperance izoqeda phezulu. Umlando uphinde uthi iMazembe izoqeda eqhulwini,” kusho uMosimane.
“Uyawadinga lawo maqembu womathathu ukuthi abe kolunye uhlangothi nawe ube ngakolunye, ngoba uyazi ukuthi uzoqhathwa nelilodwa lawo. Ngincamela ukuba sohlangothi lapho ngingeke ngibhekane khona neMazembe, Pirates, Al Ahly, Esperance. Ngiyajabula ukuba sohlangothini lwabo ngoba sizodlala nabanye. Ukuwina e-Abijan kuzosisiza kakhulu, siphinde siwine ekhaya kwiLobi Stars ukuze siye eCasa singadingi lutho.”
Ngemuva kokuqhathwa kwamaqembu esigabeni samaqoqo, uMosimane uthe uzothola amaphuzu amane kwiAsec. ISundowns iyixebule ng 3-1 emdlalweni wokuqala.
“IChampions League omunye umqhudelwano. Ubani ongafuni ukuwina e-Abijan (Asec)? Sibhekene neLobi Stars sidlale kahle esiwombeni sokuqala. Bathola igoli lokulinganisa ngomzuzu ka-45. Esiwombeni sesibili babengaphezu kwethu. Ukukhuluma iqiniso, iLobi Stars yadlala kangcono kunathi. Kodwa yafika e-Abijan yathelwa induku. Kungaphezu kwamaqhinga, kuningi okwenzekayo. Yikho iwumqhudelwano onzima ukuwuwina, futhi ungawinwa yinoma ubani. Inzima! IPirates ingafakaza.
“Ishaye igoli ibhekene ne-Esperance laphikwa. ULebo (Maboe) ushaye igoli sidlala neWydad kwathiwa ubeyi-offside, kungeyona. Yizinto obhekana nazo laphaya.”