KUQHILIKA izihlathi kumqeqeshi weqembu lesizwe lika-Under 17, uVela Khumalo, osethubeni lokungena emlandweni wabaqeqeshi baseMzansi abahlale ebhentshini emiqhudelwaneni yomhlaba.
UKhumalo, obuye aqeqeshe neKaizer Chiefs kwiDStv Diski Challenge, uzohola Amajimbos emqhudelwaneni i-Africa Cup of Nations (Caf) ezoba seMorocco, ngoMashi 30 kuya ku-Ephreli 19. Iqembu lakuleli libuyiswe seliphumile kulo mqhudelwano ngenxa yokushoda kwamaqembu. Lehlulekile ukuzibekisela indawo kulandela ukukhala ngaphansi kowandulela owamanqamu weCosafa Youth Championships emuva kokwehlulwa yiZambia ngoDisemba.
Abafana bakaKhumalo bagcine beqede endaweni yesithathu. Okunye okuweze ngelibanzi Amajimbos wukuthi iFifa inqume ukwandisela i-Afrika izikhala koweNdebe yoMhlaba zafinyelela kweziyishumi.
“Ngijabule kakhulu ngokuthi siyodlala i-Afcon. Lokhu kusithoba amanxeba ngoba sidlale kahle kwiCosafa kodwa sangawuthola umvuzo ebesiwubhekile. Ngaphandle kwalokhu, sidlale sinabadlali abashodayo, singakwazi ukwenza izingququko ngendlela esifisa ngayo. Kulokhu sizofuna abanye abadlali, siqinise iqembu. Nakanjani sizoya koweNdebe yoMhlaba,” kusho uKhumalo.
Iqembu lakuleli lidinga ukuqeda endaweni yesibili eqoqweni elizobe likulo ukuze liqinisekise ukuthi lithola ithikithi lokuya koweNdebe yoMhlaba ezoba seQatar, ngoNovemba 5-27. Kuzoba ngokokuqala kuqhuthana amazwe angu-48.
Kubadlali okulindeleke ukuthi basize iNingizimu Afrika izibekisele indawo koweNdebe yoMhlaba, kubalwa uNeo Bohloko weChiefs no-Emile Witbooi weCape Town City oyindodana kaSuprise Ralani obedlalela iMamelodi Sundowns.
“Bengibazwela ubuhlungu laba badlali ngokuthi bazophunyukwa yithuba lokudlala emqhudelwaneni omkhulu emhlabeni. Nakimina kuyinto enkulu ukuthi nginethuba lokuyoqeqesha emqhudelwaneni omkhulu osekubuya kuyona abaqeqeshi okubalwa kubona uSerame Letsoaka noThabo Senong,” kusho uKhumalo.