UKUQEDA emhlane weMamelodi Sundowns okuzovula umnyango weCaf Champions League nokuphinda isicoco seNedbank Cup, ikhona kuphela osekungaba umthobanhliziyo kumqeqeshi we-Orlando Pirates waseSpain, uJose Riveiro.
Ngesikhathi kuqala isizini yeDStv Premiership ka-2023/2024, iPirates iyona ebithishwe ukuba iphazamise ukuzicanasela kweMamelodi Sundowns esisiphinde amahlandla ayisithupha kulandelana isococo seligi.
Nakuba isephakathi le sizini kodwa sekuqala ukucaca ukuthi akekho ozofica iSundowns kwazise kumanje iyona eqhwakele ngamaphuzu esicongweni se-log.
Ngaphambi komdlalo wayizolo naMaZulu, amaBrazilians abeseqoqe amaphuzu awu-39 emidlalweni ewu-15.
IBucs isakwazi ukufaka emgodleni wayo awu-26 kwengu-17, ihleli endaweni yesihlanu.
Emuva kokulobola iCrystal Lake ngo 6-0 kwi-last 32 yeNedbank Cup ngempelasonto edlule, uRiveiro uzwakale sengathi uyaliphonsa ithawula ngesicoco seligi obekungokokuqala ekwenza lokho kule sizini.
“Ukuqeda endaweni yesibili kwi-log okuzosivulela uphawini wokudlala kwiCaf Champions League ikhona kuphela osekungasithoba izinhliziyo kodwa lokhu kuzokwehla kahle uma singaphinda iNedbank,” kusho uRiveiro.
IPirates iyona evikela isicoco seNedbank esinqobe ngesizini edlule.
“Kulula ukusho ngomlomo nokho ukuthi kufanele silale isibili kwi-log kodwa lokhu kudinga ukuzinikela okungaphezulu kwalokhu esikukhombise esiwombeni sokuqala sesizini.
“Uma sizimisele ngokuqeda endaweni ezosifaka kwiChampions League kufanele siwuyeke lo mkhuba wangonyaka odlule wokulahla amaphuzu. Ngabe sikude kabi kunala sikhona ukube asizange silahle amaphuzu kungafanele emzuliswaneni wokuqala,” kuqhuba lo mqeqeshi oseyiphinde amahlandla amabili i-MTN 8 kusukela efikile kuleli njengoba esephupha ngokwenza okufanayo kwiKe Yona.
“Asisenawo uphawini wokulahla amaphuzu kwiligi kodwa uma singaphinda siqukule iNedbank angingabazi ukuthi lokho kuzobathokozisa abalandeli bethu.
“Kusemqoka nokho ukukubalula ukuthi siyaqonda ukuthi kuzobanzima ukuvikela iNedbank ngoba namanye amaqembu anezinhloso ezinkulu ngayo.
“Kuhle nokho ngoba sinawo umlando esingabukela kuwona ngesikwenze kwiMTN 8, esesiyiphindile. NakwiNedbank sinawo amava okwenza okufanayo kodwa kudingeka ukuthi siwavule wonke amehlo kuyona yonke imidlalo esisalele,” kulandisa yena.
Okunye lo mqeqeshi athe kumhlaba umxhwele muva nje, ukuxhumana ngaphandle kwenkundla akubona kukhula kubadlali bakhe.
“Sesifana nozalo, hhayi abangani. Lokhu kusho ukuthi abadlali bazimisele ukufela ozakwabo enkundleni okuyisikhali esimqoka kuwona wonke amaqembu.
“Ngijabule ngalokhu futhi uma kuzoqhubeka, azokhula namathuba ethu okufeza lokhu esiphupha ngakho,” kuphetha uRiveiro.
IPirates izobuyela enkundleni ngoweligi lapho izovakashela iPolokwane City ngoMgqibelo ntambama, ePeter Mokaba Stadium. Kwegcina ukuwudlala weligi, ibambane ngo 1-1 neSundowns.