IDowns izongena izethemba koweChampions League
ULINDELE ukuthi bawuqale kahle umgqigqo weCaf Champions League umqeqeshi weMamelodi Sundowns, uRhulani Mokwena, njengoba bezodlala neqembu laseDemocratic Republic of Congo, iManiema Union, kowokuhlunga ngeSonto.
Umlenze wokuqala uzoba seStade des Martys eKinshasa ngo-5 ntambama ngaphambi kokuthi la maqembu atholane phezulu eLoftus Versveld ngo-Okthoba 24. Iqembu elizonqoba lizongena esigabeni samaqoqo kwiChampions League, elizokhala ngaphansi lizowela kweyokuhlungela iCaf Confederation Cup.
"Okuhle ukuthi akulona izwe esiqalayo ukulivakashela, yize noma siya edolobheni elihlukile. Siyakwazi okumele sikulindele uma sifika khona, isimo sezulu, nokunye," kusho uMokwena.
"Ngokujwayelekile siyaye sithathe uhambo kusasele izinsuku ezintathu noma ezine ngaphambi komdlalo kodwa kulokhu sikhethe ukuhamba ususondele ngoba asilindele okutheni okuzosimangaza. Sibone kungcono ukuthi amalungiselelo siwenzele ekhaya bese sisebenzisa usuku olulodwa eDRC ukuze sizijwayeze inkundla esizodlalela kuyona.
"Sesiqalile ukubheka iqembu esizodlala nalo. Siyazi ukuthi bajwayele ukuzihlela kanjani enkundleni. Bajwayele ukudlala ngezitobha ezine, ababili abamakayo esiswini, abathathu abahlaselayo nomgadli oyedwa.
"Siyibhekisisile indlela abadlale ngayo emzuliswaneni owandulela esesikuwo. Badlale ngendlela ecishe ifane emilenzeni yomibili yize bebebuye bayishintshe abahlasela ngayo. Sesiwenzile umsebenzi omningi. Kumele sigade ukuthi bangasihlaseli ngokusizuma, siphinde sikwazi ukumaka kahle kuma-free kick namakhona. Sisenaso isikhashana sokulungiselela lo mdlalo. Asimele iMamelodi Sundowns kuphela kodwa simele iNingizimu Afrika yonkana.“
UMokwena ubekhuluma esithangamini sabezindaba izolo ngemuva kokuthi yena nozakwabo, uManqoba Mngqithi, beklonyeliswe ngendondo yokuba abaqeqeshi abavele kwiDStv Premiership ngo-Agasti nangoSepthemba.
Umgadli wamaSandawana, uPeter Shalulile, uqokwe njengomdlali obashaye bonke emakhanda kulezi zinyanga njengoba ehlohle amagoli amane emidlalweni emihlanu.
ISundowns ayikahlulwa kwiPremier Soccer League kule sizini. Izihola phambili kwiligi kanti isingene kowamanqamu eMTN8.
UShalulile ubheke ukuthatha ifomu yakhe enhle aqhubeke nayo kwiChampions League kwazise uphinde wayibhakuzisa inethi edlalela iqembu lakhe lesizwe ngesikhathi libhekene neSenegal kweyokuhlungela iNdebe yoMhlaba yango-2022.
"Akukho okutheni okushintshile ngomdlalo wami, ngisaqhubeka nokusebenza ngokuzikhandla, ngisabalalela abaqeqeshi uma bengibonisa futhi ngizimisele ukuqhubeka ngale ndlela,“kusho uShalulile.
"Ngizimisele ukuthi ngiqhubeke nokudlala kahle kule sizini, ngisize iqembu lami futhi ngingajabula kakhulu uma ngingashaya amagoli angaphezulu kwalawa engiwashaye ngesizini eyedlule,“kusho uShalulile.
Ngesizini edlule lo mgadli uwu-15 kwiligi.
"Ngifunde okuningi kule midlalo engisanda kuyidlala neqembu lesizwe njengoba besidlala neqembu elihlonishwayo e-Afrika futhi elinenqwaba yabadlali abagijima e-Europe. Ngiyethemba ukuthi kuzongisiza uma sesidlala kwiChampions League," kuphetha uShalulile.