ISITOBHA se-Orlando Pirates, uThapelo Xoki, siqhakambisa eyokuziphindisela kwiKaizer Chiefs ngokuyixebula koweCarling Black Label Cup.
EZimnyama zizobhekana nezimbangi okungomkhaya baseSoweto, iChiefs emqhudelwaneni wosuku weCarling eFNB Stadium kusasa ngo-12 emini. Emdlalweni wokuqala wosuku kuzovula iMamelodi Sundowns naMaZulu ngo 9.30 ekuseni. Amaqembu ahluliwe azoshaya amaphenathi ukukhipha elizoqeda endaweni yesithathu. Owamanqamu uzodlalwa ngo-5 ntambama.
Emasontweni amabili edlule, iPirates ijabhise abalandeli bayo yehlulwa yiChiefs ngo 1-0 emdlalweni weDStv Premiership.
UXoki uthe bawubheke ngabomvu lo mdlalo ngenxa yokwenziwe yiChiefs kubona.
"Wumdlalo omkhulu njengoba sonke sazi. Abalandeli bavotile. Sicabanga ukuthi abafakanga abadlali ezindaweni okungezona. Siwubheke ngabomvu umdlalo. Amalungiselelo ahamba kahle. Sibheke ukuziphindisela kwiChiefs esihlule emasontweni amabili edlule.
“Siwubukile umdlalo, sabona lapho esiphambuke khona kuloya mdlalo, sazama ukulungisa. Sizozama ukudlala umdlalo wethu ojwayelekile, senze esijwayele ukukwenza," kusho uXoki.
Ngokwamavoti abalandeli bePirates, uXoki akekho esikimini esizoqala umdlalo kodwa kungenzeka azithole esewuqala umdlalo uma engalulami ukaputeni u-Innocent Maela olimale bebhekene neChiefs. Kushaye isikhathi sokuloba kungakacaci. Esinye isitobha sePirates esinokulimala nguNkosinathi Sibisi, owathinteka ngempelasonto edlule bedlala naMaZulu kowamanqamu eMTN8.
IPirates izodlala oweCarling isathokozela ukuwina indebe yeMTN8. UXoki, obedlala kulona Usuthu ngesizini edlule ngaphambi kokusayiniswa Ezimnyama, ngomunye wabadlali abawine indebe okokuqala kusukela baqala ukudlala kwiPremiership. Uthe sebeqedile ukujabulela iMTN8.
"Uma usuqalile ukuziqeqesha lokho kusho ukuthi indaba yokuwina indebe isiphelile. Silitholile ithuba lokubhiyoza ngempelasonto, sakwenza lokho. Manje sigxile kule mpelasonto. Asikwazi ukuqhubeka nokucabanga impelasonto edlule. Manje sinethuba lokwenza esikwenze ngempelasonto edlule futhi singathanda ukukwenza. Bekumnandi. Ngakho sifuna ukuqhubeka nalowo muzwa," kusho uXoki.