UPitso ubeke ithemba ekongeni izethenjwa
AKUNGABAZEKI ukuthi umqeqeshi weMamelodi Sundowns, uPitso Mosimane, uthandazela ukuthi kumsebenzele ukonga izethenjwa zabadlali bakhe ngesikhathi behlulwa yiCape Town City emdlalweni weMTN 8 ngempelasonto.
UMosimane ubophele isikwati esehlukile, ebesigabe ngabadlali abangayiqali imidlalo ngesikhathi behlulwa yiCity ngo 1-0 emlenzeni wokuqala wowandulela owamanqamu walo mqhudelwano.
Kubadlali abathole ithuba lokuqala umdlalo bekukhona, uSiphelele Mkhulise, Ali Mezi, Tony Silva, Lucky Mohomi noMusa Lebusa.
Ubephumuze izethenjwa zakhe okubalwa ukaputeni, uHlompho Kekana, Sibusiso “Villa” Vilakazi, Themba Zwane, Gaston Sirino noJeremy Brockie. Akudingayo wukuthi laba badlali babe bukhali emapalini emdlalweni olandelayo.
Ngesikhathi ephawula ngemuva komdlalo uMosimane akazange akufihle ukuthi laba badlali aseqale ngabo iningi lemidlalo kule sizini ubaphumuzele umdlalo “omqoka” weCAF Champions League.
Lowo mdlalo wokugcina kaGroup C unamuhla eLucas Moripe Stadium, ngo-6 ntambama. ISundowns izobe ishukana neHoroya yaseGuinea ababanga nayo indawo yesibili kuleli qoqo ukuze badlulele kuma-quarterfinal.
IHoroya izofika emdlalweni isendaweni yesibili ngamaphuzu ayisishiyagalombili kanti ezikaMosimane zisendaweni yesithathu ngamaphuzu amahlanu. Zidinga ukuyishaya iHoroya ukuze kube yizona ezidlulayo neWydad Casablanca yaseMorocco eqhwakele eqoqweni.
Uma iSundowns igcina inamaphuzu ayisishiyagalombili, izovunwa wukuthi yabamba iHoroya ngo 2-2 ekuhambeni.
Ukuze ikwenze lokhu kumele ibe bukhali emapalini. Isiqhube imidlalo emithathu ingashayi igoli. Isishaywe iCity ngo 1-0 (MTN 8), yabambana ngo 0-0 neHighlands Park (kwiligi), yashaywa iWydad ngo 1-0 (kwiChampions League).
Empeleni iSundowns isashaye amagoli amathathu emidlalweni eyisithupha.
“Siphumuze uSirino, uMshishi (Zwane), uBrockie, noVilla. NgoLwesibili sinomdlalo omkhulu. Kodwa kumele sibancome (abadlale kwiCity). Sisenalo ithuba kwiCape Town City ekhaya ngakho akuphelile,” kusho uMosimane kwiSS4.
Bazobhekana neCity ePitoli ngeSonto emlenzeni wesibili weMTN 8.
Lo mqeqeshi uthe akakhathazekile ngokuthi uBrockie namanje akakalishayi igoli.
“UBrockie bekumele aphumule ngiyamdinga ngoLwesibili. Igoli liyeza.”
Ngesikhathi kubhekwe ukuthi uBrockie nozakwabo babe bukhali phambili, nasemuva kuzomele iqembu likaMosimane liphaphame.
Umgadli weHoroya, u-Ocansey Mandela, uyiphela endlebeni. UMandela walishaya igoli ngesikhathi bebhekene ekuhambeni kanti lo mgadli waseGhana nguyena nozakwabo uBolaji Sakin abaqinisekise ukuthi iHoroya ithola amaphuzu amathathu emdlalweni odlule bebhekene neTogo Porto yanyukela endaweni yesibili.