NAKUBA kungelula ukukholwa ukuthi iMamelodi Sundowns isele ngomdlalo owodwa ukuthi ihlanganise engu-50 ingayazi induku kwiDStv Premiership kodwa kusekhona amanye amarekhodi leli qembu laseChloorkop elisengawaphula kule midlalo emihlanu elisalele ukuba lisonge u-2023/2024.
ISundowns eyagcina ukushaywa koweligi ngesizini edlule uma iqhubeka ngalo mgqigqo namuhla, izohlanganisa engu-50 ingashayeki eNingizimu Afrika.
Kowanamuhla weDStv Premiership izobe ibhekene neRoyal AM ngo-6 ntambama, eLucas Moripe Stadium.
Yize iSundowns isivele isisongile isicoco sayo seligi sesikhombisa kulandelana kodwa kusekhona iqatha lokuba yiqembu lokuqala emlandweni webhola laseMzansi ukudlala isizini yonke ngaphandle kokushaywa koweligi.
Sekuphele imidlalo yeligi engu-49 iSundowns igwema induku okungesinye sezibonelo zokuthi leli qembu eliqeqeshwa nguRhulani Mokwena, likhonye kangakanani ebholeni laseNingizimu Afrika eminyakeni embalwa edlule.
Njengamanje iSundowns ishoda ngamaphuzu ayisishiyagalolunye ukuthi iphule irekhodi lamaphuzu angu-71 eyalibeka ngesizini ka-2015/2016 isaqeqeshwa nguPitso Mosimane.
Ngeke isafika nokho kumaphuzu angu-80 kwazise ibambane neLamontville Golden Arrows ngo 0-0 ngoLwesithathu ebusuku eHammarsdale.
“Nginenhlanhla yokuhola isikwati esiyisipesheli okuzophinda kusithathe isikhathi eside ukuthi kubonakale ebholeni laseNingizimu Afrika,” usanda kusho kanje uMokwena sakukloloda ngezakhe.
Kusukela uMokwena esithathe ngayedwana isihlalo sokuqeqesha iSundowns ezinyangeni ezicela kwezingu-20 ezedlule, kuze kube yimanje akayazi induku kweyeligi.
Kuwona wonke amasizini, iSundowns ihlale ibukeka sengathi izophula amarekhodi kodwa (kule sizini) kuningi okungase kube yiqiniso.
Kusukela kwaqala iPremier Soccer League (PSL) ngo-1996, alikho iqembu eselike ladlala laze layiqeda isizini lingakaze lishaywe koweligi. Ngesizini edlule iSundowns ihlulwe kanye kweyeligi.
ISundowns ibhekene neRoyal AM namuhla nje, bazophinda futhi ngoLwesibili eMgungundlovu bese isalelwa iStellenbosch FC, Cape Town City ne-TS Galaxy kweyePremiership.
Njengoba iSundowns isiwine eyeligi engu-19 kule sizini kusho ukuthi ishoda ngamawini amane ukuphula irekhodi leKaizer Chiefs neManning Rangers abawina (23) kodwa ngaleso sikhathi imidlalo yayisengu-34 kwazise amaqembu ayengu-18.
Ngesizini edlule, iSundowns ibibukeka sengathi izolephula irekhodi layo lamawini angu-22 kwiligi yamaqembu angu-16 kodwa yadlala ngokulingana kweyisithupha yokugcina, ngakho-ke yaphelela kumawini angu-21.
Kule midlalo emihlanu esele ezikaMokwena zidinga amawini amathathu ukuze ziziqophele owazo umlando.
Nethuba lokwephula irekhodi lamaphuzu angu-75 okudla iligi okuyilona elisahamba lodwa ebholeni laseNingizimu Afrika lisekhona kwiSundowns.
Kusemqoka nokho ukukhumbula ukuthi leli rekhodi (75) eliphethwe iyona iSundowns neChiefs ngokwahlukana laqoshwa ngesikhathi amaqembu esengu-18.
Elinye irekhodi elisengcupheni kulokhu eleChiefs lango-2003/2004 lokungenelwa amagoli amancane (11) kunawo wonke amanye amaqembu ngaphansi kukaTed Dumitru ongasekho.
Kule sizini iSundowns isangenelwe amagoli eligi ayisishiyagalolunye kuphela.