NAKUBA inhloko yabaqeqeshi kwi-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, izobe ingekho uma sebebhekene nomkhaya baseSoweto, iKaizer Chiefs, ngempelasonto, kodwa inkulumo yephini lakhe, uSergio Almenara, ikhomba ukuthi likhulu iqhaza elizobanjwa yilo mqeqeshi uma sekulungiselelwa lo mdlalo.
U-Almenara ubeyibambe ebhentshini nelinye iphini, uMandla Ncikazi, koweDStv Premiership e-Orlando Stadium, ngempelasonto edlule, ngesikhathi iqembu liphuma namaphuzu amathathu linqoba iMaritzburg United ngo-2-1.
NgoMgqibelo, iPirates izovakashela iChiefs koweligi eFNB Stadium, okuzobe kuwumdlalo wesibili uRiveiro engekho kulandela ukuthola ikhadi elibomvu bedlala ne-All Stars FC koweNedbank Cup Last 32.
U-Almenara, ekhuluma nabezindaba ngemuva komdlalo neTeam of Choice, uthe ukungabi bikho kukaRiveiro ebhentshini, akwenzanga mehluko omkhulu.
“Ngokujwayelekile abaqeqeshi abanawo umthelela omningi ngesikhathi somdlalo, okuningi kwenzeka phakathi nesonto uma iqembu lizilolonga,” u-Almenara uchaze kanje.
"Phakathi nomdlalo siyazama ukwenza umehluko othile kodwa isikhathi sekhefu isona esibaluleke kakhulu. Ngenxa yobuchwepheshe besimanjemanje besikwazi ukuxhumana naye (uRiveiro)."
Lobu buchwepheshe yibona okubukeka buzophinde busebenze uma sebedlala neChiefs eyabehlula ngo-1-0 emzuliswaneni wokuqala weligi nyakenye.
U-Almenara uthe nakuba bebuqonda ubumqoka bemidlalo abayidlala neChiefs kodwa benze konke okusemandleni ukuqinisekisa ukuthi abadlali bebegxile koweTeam of Choice ngesonto eledlule.
“Sizamile ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi (umdlalo neChiefs) awusithinti nakancane. Lokho bekuyinhloso yethu,” kusho lo mqeqeshi odabuka eSpain.
“Ngeke sibe semiqondweni yabo bonke abadlali abaseqenjini kodwa njalo sizama ukugxila eqenjini esisuke sizobhekana nalo.
“Asikwazi ukulawula izinto ezithile kodwa esingakulawula umyalezo esiwudlulisela kubadlali nakho konke esisuke sikwenza isonto lonke. Akukho nokuncane obekuqondene neChiefs.”
AmaBhakabhaka asendaweni yesithathu kwi-log yeDStv Premiership ngamaphuzu angu-31 emidlalweni engu-20. Asele ngamaphuzu amabili kwiSuperSport United, okwamanje isendaweni yesibili, nokungeyokugcina efaka iqembu kwiCaf Champions League.
Maningi namanye amaqembu asalwela ukuqeda kule ndawo njengoba kukhona neRichards Bay FC, iChiefs neSekhukhune United, alandela eduze.
Ngesizini edlule, Ezimnyama zaqeda endaweni yesithupha kodwa u-Almenara, uthe iqembu elikhulu kangaka kumele lihlale lilwela ukungena emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu.
“Sigxila enkathini yamanje, asikhulumi kakhulu ngezinto ezikude ngoba sihlelela isonto nesonto. Kusobala ukuthi ukuba yingxenye yePirates kusho ukuthi sinesibopho sokuthi okungenani sibe kuleyo ndawo,” usho kanje.
EzikaMagebhula zagcina ukudlala kwiChampions League ngesizini ka-2019/20 lapho zehluleka khona ukufinyelela esigabeni samaqoqo ngemuva kokukhishwa yiGreen Eagles yaseZambia, emzuliswaneni wokuqala.