SITHEMBISO MKHIZE
OWAZAKHELA udumo ngokuyibamba kuthule umoya esiswini, uJabulani Mendu, ubona iMamelodi Sundowns izobulawa wudonga lwayo uma ingase ibhekane ne-Al Ahly, kwiCaf Champions League, njengoba uPercy Tau esawubambile umgqigqo wakhe.
Ku-Group A amaBrazilians aboshelwe nezitha zawo ezinkulu i-Al Ahly yase-Egypt, ecijwa nguPitso Mosimane nengompetha beChampions League. Kukhona ne-Al Hilal, ne-Al-Merrikh okungamaqembu aseSudan.
Umlenze wokuqala iSundowns eqeqeshwa nguManqoba Mngqithi ngokubambisana noRhulani Mokwena noSteve Komphela, izowudlala ngoFebhuwari 26 neThe Red Devils, owesibili uzoba ngoMashi 11.
Umdlalo wala maqembu uhlale ungowamagqubu ngenxa yezizathu eziningi. Ngesizini edlule, uMosimane ukhiphe amaBrazilians kuma-quarterfinal, eChampions League. Ubeqala ukubhekana nawo selokhu awashiya. Ugcine eyingqwele yalo mqhudelwano.
Bekungokwesibili ewunqoba neThe Red Devils. Kulokhu uMosimane uzobhekana neSundowns eseshaya ngoTau. Naye lo mdlali udlale isikhathi eside kumaBrazillians, wawasiza anqoba inqwaba yezicoco ngaphansi kukaMosimane.
UMendu odlale kwiSundowns kwisizini ka-2005/06, utshele Isolezwe ukuthi akakhathali, abantu bangasho abakuthandayo, njengamanje e-Afrika amaqembu awabona emakhulu, yi-Al Ahly neSundowns. Uncome amaqembu ngokudlala ibhola elihle nokuqoqa izicoco.
Nokho le nsephe eyadlala nakwiKaizer Chiefs, ikhale ngabadlali basemuva beSundowns yathi ibona bengeke balimele ijubane nokushesha kukaTau.
"Idlala kahle impela iSundowns kodwa abadlali bayo basemuva kabanalo ijubane. Ngesingami, nguDe Reuck (Rushine) kuphela osheshayo. Uma la maqembu engabhekana, uTau ekulo mgqigqo, ngiyayidabukela iSundowns. Uyashesha, ubuyelwe ukuzethemba, uhlakaniphile. Umzimba wakhe ubuyele esimweni aziwa ngaso. Kuyona yonke impumelelo yakamuva ye-Al Ahly unesandla,“ kusho uMendu.
"Uyabonakala ukuthi ulambile. Uyabona ukuthi usafuna ukubuyela kwiPremiership, e-England. Uzofuna ukuyihlinzela ezibini iSundowns. Nokho ngiyalithemba ithimba likaMngqithi, lihlakaniphile.“
UTau othathwe yiThe Red Devils kwiBrighton & Hove Alboin yase-England, usadlale eyisikhombisa kweyisishiyagalombili ye-Egyptian Premier League. Useshaye amagoli amahlanu wakhanda elilodwa.
UMendu uqhube wathi womabili amaqembu uwabona engena kuma-quarter final, eChampions League.
"Kuzoba umdlalo onzima. ISundowns kayikaze imshaye uMosimane. Naye lo mqeqeshi ufuna ukuqhubeka nokushaya iqembu lakhe elidala. UMosimane uhlakaniphile, uzofuna ukuqeda ephezulu ku-group A. Uyazi kodwa ukuthi uma eke wangena kuma-quarterfinal azoba maningi amathuba okuvikela iChampions League,“ kuphetha uMendu.