AMAZULU FC awezukulibamba iqhaza emqhudelwaneni wakulo nyaka we-Prince Mangosuthu Legacy Cup odlalwa ngamaqembu aKwaZulu-Natal, akwi-Betway Premiership, neqembu langaphandle kwesifundazwe elimenyiwe.
Lokhu kuvele ngenkathi kwethulwa lo mqhudelwano owasungulwa ngo-2018, ngenhloso yokuhlonipha uMntwana uMangosuthu Buthelezi obubanjelwe eSouthern Sun Hotel, eThekwini.
Amaqembu azobamba iqhaza emqhudelwaneni wakulo nyaka yiRoyal AM, Richards Bay neNsingizini Hotspurs yaseSwatini eyiqembu elimenyiwe, bese kuba yiqembu lesine okuyilona elizovala isikhala saMaZulu esilobe lolu daba lingakamenyezelwa.
Lo mqhudelwano uzobanjelwa ePrince Mangosuthu Regional Stadium, oLundi, ngoSepthemba 7, okokuqala engasekho uMntwana uButhelezi odlule emhlabeni nyakenye.
Emdlalweni wokuqala ngo-9 ekuseni i-AM izotholana phezulu neRichards Bay FC, kowesibili ngo-11.30 ekuseni kududulane iNsingizini neqembu elisazomenyezelwa, kulandele owezinkakha zaKwaZulu-Natal neKaizer Chiefs, bese ngo-3.30 ntambama kube ngowamanqamu.
“AmaZulu ahoxile ekubambeni iqhaza kwi-Prince Mangosuthu Legacy Cup. Njengamanje sisalinde ukuthola ukuthi yiliphi iqembu elizovala isikhala saMaZulu kulo mqhudelwano,” kusho uNgqongqoshe wezeMidlalo, uMntomuhle Khawula, ethula inkulumo.
“Siyabanxusa abathandi bebhola baKwaZulu-Natal ukuthi baphume ngobuningi ukuzokweseka le midlalo, nokuqhubeka nokuqhakambisa ukuhlonipha iqhaza likaMntwana uMangosuthu owayekugqugquzela kakhulu ukubeka eceleni ukuhlukana kwezepolitiki uma kugqugquzelwa ezemidlalo.”
Oyimeya kaMasipala waseZululand, uMichael Khumalo, uthe: “IPrince Mangosuthu Legacy Cup iwusimamisa kakhulu umnotho waseZululand futhi iyakhula unyaka nonyaka. Akuhlomuli nje osomabhizinisi abakhulu kepha nalabo abancane nabasathuthuka kabasali ngaphandle.”
UKhumalo uveze ukuthi emqhudelwaneni wakulo nyaka kuzoba ngokokuqala ukuthi kubhekelelwe nebhola labesifazane. Abaqeqeshi bamaqembu ePremiership bezoba nohlelo lokucobelela ngolwazi amantombazane adlala ibhola aneminyaka ephakathi kuka-10 no-18 ubudala asezikoleni ezahlukene esifundeni saseZululand.
Ukuhoxa koSuthu kulo mqhudelwano kuqubula imibuzo, njengoba leli kuyiqembu elithathwa njengelisondelene kakhulu nobukhosi baKwaZulu.
Ngemuva komqhudelwano weKZN Premier’s Cup oLundi, kuyona le nkundla iRegional Stadium, umqeqeshi waleli qembu, uPablo Franco Martin, wakhala ngesimo sale nkundla esingagculisi.
Imizamo yokuthola okhulumela iqembu, uPhilani Ndlela, ayiphumelelanga njengoba kuze kwashaya isikhathi sokushicilela udaba engaphendulile.
AmaZulu akhiphe isitatimende ngoLwesibili ntambama eveza izizathu zokungadlali kulo mqhudelwano.
"Iqembu liyayeseka iPrince Mangosuthu Legacy Cup. Ngeshwa, ngenxa yokuthi umdlalo wethu wokuqala (weligi) ohlelelwe uSepthemba 14 usekuhambeni ePolokwane, kanye nesimo senkundla esingagculisi iqembu likhethe ukuhoxa," kusho isitatimend.
"Abadlali abaningi badonseka imisipha ngesikhathi sigcina ukudlalela oLundi. Besizokwazi ukubamba iqhaza ukube bekuzodlalelwa ePrincess Magogo Stadium noma eKing Zwelithini Stadium.
"Sihlose ukuphinde sibe yingxenye yalo mqhudelwano ngonyaka ozayo."