UZothwane ukhuthazwa ukwenza kahle kweBay kweyomkhumulajezi

UMQEQESHI weRichards Bay FC, uPapi Zothwane, ubona ukwenza kahle kwabo emiqhudelwaneni yomkhumulajezi kuzobakhuthaza ukuthi bangagcina bekwazile ukuyiwina indebe. 

IBay izobhekana naMaZulu FC kowabakhaya baKwaZulu-Natal weNedbank Cup Last 16 ngoLwesihlanu ngo-7 ebusuku, eMhlathuze Sports Complex, eRichards Bay. 

Ngaphandle kokuba ngumdlalo wabakhaya obhekwe ngabomvu ngabathandi bebhola baseKZN, ungowamagqubu njengoba iRichards Bay ithele AmaZulu isibhaxu sika 2-0 ngoNovemba, emzuliswaneni wokuqala wesizini yeBetway Premiership. 

IBay okuyisizini yayo yesine lena esigabeni sePremiership kusukela yakhushulelwa kulesi sigaba ngesizini ka-2021/22, isifinyelele amahlandla amathathu kweyandulela owamanqamu omkhumulajezi. Ikwenze lokhu kwiCarling Knockout ngesizini ka-2023/24, ngeka-2024/25, nakule sizini lapho iguqiswe khona yi-Orlando Pirates ngo 1-0 ngoNovemba.

“Njengeqembu, sisalokhu senza kahle emiqhudelwaneni yomkhumulajezi. Ngakho inhloso yethu enkulu ngeyokuthi ngelinye ilanga sigcine siyiwinile indebe. Asidlaleli nje kuphela ukudlulela emzuliswaneni olandelayo.

"Sikholwa wukuthi singakwenza lokho (ukuwina indebe) uma ubheka amaqembu aseke awuwina lo mqhudelwano, lokho kusho ukuthi nathi singenza okufanayo,” kusho uZothwane, oqeqesha ngokubambisana noRonnie Gabriel. 

“Yize kuyithina esizobe sidlalela ekhaya kodwa siyazi ukuthi akuzukuba ngumdlalo olula lo esizowudlala naMaZulu ngenxa yefomu yawo, okufakazelwa nayindawo akuyona njengamanje kwi-log. Sinabadlali abazimisele ngokulwela iqembu. Siyakuqonda ukubaluleka kokuthi kuzomele sigweme amaphutha okungenelwa ngamagoli angenasidingo kulo mdlalo okuyinto esibenenkinga nayo emidlalweni yethu yakamuva.”

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umqeqeshi waMaZulu, u-Arthur Zwane, uthe: “Siyazi ukuthi kuzoba nzima ukubhekana neRichards Bay eyasishaya sigcina ukudlala nayo kwiligi, neyenza kahle emiqhudelwaneni yomkhumulajezi. Ukunqoba kwayo kwiSiwelele kwi-Last 32 kuleya nkundla yaseDr Molemela Stadium, kukhombise ukuthi iyiqembu elilwayo ngoba akulula neze ukubuya kuleya nkundla.”

Imidlalo yeNedbank Cup Last 16: 

NgoLwesihlanu: 

Richards Bay FC v AmaZulu FC (Umhlathuze Sports Complex, 7pm)

NgoMgqibelo:

TS Galaxy v Mamelodi Sundowns (Solomon Mahlangu Stadium, 3pm); Upington City v Durban City (Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium, 3pm); Lamontville Golden Arrows v Stellenbosch FC (King Zwelithini Stadium, 6pm); Orlando Pirates v Casric Stars (Orlando Amstel Arena, 6pm)

NgeSonto: 

Jacksa Spears v Vasco Da Gama (Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium, 3pm); Milford FC v Mkhambathi FC (Umhlathuze Sports Complex, 3pm); University of Pretoria v Sekhukhune United (Tuks Stadium, 3pm)