UKUZIDLELA amahlanga kweMamelodi Sundowns, ngokuthatha isicoco seDStv Premiership ekubeni isasalelwe yimidlalo eyisikhombisa kuqongise ingcindezi kwiKaizer Chiefs ne-Orlando Pirates.
Womabili amaqembu anenselelo yokuvikela isithunzi, okungenani ngokuqeda ezindaweni eziwafaka emiqhudelwaneni yeConfederation of African Football (Caf).
ISundowns inqobe isicoco sesithupha seligi kulandelana ingekho ngisho enkundleni ngempelasonto edlule ngenxa yokuthi ibisonga imidlalo yamaqoqo eCaf Champions League.
Namuhla ngo-3 ntambama iSundowns idlala neSwallows FC koweligi eDobsonville Stadium, eSoweto.
Kuzo zonke izimbangi zeSundowns kwiPSL, yiChiefs nePirates abanenselelo enkulu yokuqeda ukubusa kwayo ngenxa yezithunzi zalawa maqembu amakhulu eNingizimu Afrika.
IPirates ibidlala neChippa United izolo kanti iChiefs ibibhekene neMarumo Gallants.
Womabili amaqembu aseSoweto, angene kule mpelasonto eyibambe emaphuzwini angu-40 ngokwehlukana yize kuyiPirates ebingenhla ngenxa yesimo esihle samagoli.
Ukwehluleka kwabo ukuqeda ezindaweni ezibafaka emiqhudelwaneni yeCaf kuzoba nomthelela omubi ekutheni bangene kwi-Africa Super League, eqala ngo-Agasti. Phambilini kubikwe ukuthi izobunjwa ngamaqembu aphezulu ohlwini lwamakhulu ezwenikazi, i-Afrika.
Konke lokhu kushiya ingcindezi eyodwa kwiChiefs nePirates. Yokunqoba yonke imidlalo ebasalele. Lokhu, ngokusho kwesitobha seZimpofana uSiyabonga Ngezana, bakuqondisisa kahle benozakwabo.
“Imidlalo esele isiwukhiye kakhulu (ekuvikeleni isithunzi ngokungena kwiCaf). Kumele silwele ukuyinqoba yonke imidlalo esele,” kusho uNgezana.
“Akuzuba lula kodwa kumele kwenzekile ukuze sikhombise ukuthi sizimisele ngokuqeda endaweni yesibili, kumqoka.”
Isitobha sikhuluma kufanele ngoba singomunye wabadlali ababenomthelela ekuqaleni kabi kwamaqembu abo ngenxa yokushaya into ephansi.
Nokho umqeqeshi weChiefs, u-Arthur Zwane, uqinisele naso kwaze kwaba sibuyelwa yifomu.
“Kuningi kakhulu okufike nomqeqeshi u-Arthur, uma ubheka ngendlela ebesidlala ngayo kule sizini. Uyabona ukuthi eqinisweni okusele nje wukungena khaxa, kwabadalli abasha laba abaningi esinabo,” kusho uNgezana ngeqembu lakhe.
Ngaphandle kokujaha irekhodi lamaphuzu kodwa iSundowns isenethuba lokuqeda isizini nezicoco ezintathu ngoba isekhona kwiNedbank Cup, kanti ikuma-quarterfinal eChampions League.