ALIKHO ibohlololo ekhempini yeBafana Bafana yize kunokudangala kubalandeli baleli qembu lesizwe emuva kokukhishwa yimbangi yeminyaka, iNigeria, kwi-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) esongwa kusasa e-Ivory Coast.
IBafana iguqe sekushaywa amaphenathi kowandulela owamanqamu emuva kokuyibamba ingasaphelele enkundleni ngenxa yekhadi elibomvu elitholwe nguGrant Kekana ngesikhathi esengeziwe. Ukwehlulwa yiNigeria kwelakuleli kusho ukuqhubeka kweshobolo leminyaka lokushaywa ngama-Super Eagles kwi-Afcon. Bekungokwesine emlandweni iBafana ifinyelela kowandulela owamanqamu we-Afcon.
Ingcwenga edlalwe abafana bakaHugo Broos ilibuyisile kwabaningi ithemba nothando lwaleli qembu lesizwe ebelingasanakiwe futhi ingahanjelwa imidlalo yalo eNingizimu Afrika.
IBafana inethuba lokuthoba izinhliziyo zabalandeli ngokunqoba kwiDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC) abazobanga nayo indondo yethusi namuhla ngo-10 ebusuku eStade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, e-Abijan. IDRC yehlulwe yi-Ivory Coast kowandulela owamanqamu. Umdlalo wamanqamu ozoba phakathi kweNigeria ne-Ivory Coast uzodlalwa e-Olympic Stadium of Bimbe kusasa ngo-10 ebusuku.
Yize abadlali ekhempini yeBafana benelisekile ngabakwenze kwi-Afcon kodwa basafuna ukulwela ukubuya nendondo yethusi e-Ivory Coast.
Umdlali wasemuva, uSiyanda “Magazi” Xulu, okuthusile ukuqala kwakhe umdlalo weNigeria ugcine eshaye into ecokeme enkundleni. Lo mdlali waKwaMashu uthe okuningi okwenzeke kwi-Afcon bese kuyibhonasi ngoba abebekuhlelile bekuwukudlula kweyamaqoqo.
“Kuthe uma siphumelela kulokhu ebesizihlelele khona sase siba nephupho elisha lokuyithatha ngokulandelana kwayo imidlalo njengoba senzile,” kusho uXulu.
“Sijabule ngesikuzuzile yize kungemnandi ukuthi asiyi kowamanqamu. Sinomdlalo omqoka okufanele sivale ngawo ngenothi eliphezulu.
“Okusemqoka wukuqhakambisa ukuthi ebesikuyele kwi-Afcon sikutholile kwaze kwaba nombhanso kwazise ukuzethemba kwethu emidlalweni elandelayo kuzobe phezulu,” kuphetha uXulu.
UVeli Mothwa, ongomunye wabadlali abamqoka ogcina umoya umuhle ekhempini yeBafana yize engakaze adlale, uthe okuningi sekuzoba lula.
“Sesikwenzile okunzima ngakho-ke sisalelwe wukuqedela esikuqalile ngendondo yethusi. Akumnandi ukuba kulesi simo esikusona kodwa kufanele samukele bese sijabulela nezifundo ezimqoka esizitholile,” kushaya lo nozinti waMaZulu FC ngamafuphi.
“Nginethemba lokuthi esikwenzile kubuyise uthando lweBafana kubantu baseNingizimu Afrika kodwa okumqoka kunakho konke ukuthi sibonile ukuthi alikho izwe esingeke silishaye uma sizimisele ngokwenza lokho,” kusho uSiphephelo “Yaya” Sithole, ongomunye wabadlali abebegqamile umqhudelwano wonke.
“Esikufundile ukuthi sinalo ithuba lokudla isicoco kwi-Afcon elandelayo kodwa okubaluleke kunakho konke wukuwina umdlalo wendondo yethusi,” kuphetha le njini yasoLundi.
Uma iBafana igcina ibuya nendondo yethusi e-Ivory Coast, kuzoba ngokwesibili emlandweni kwazise yayithola nge-Afcon ka-2000 emuva kokwehlula iTunisia.