UKUNGENA enkundleni ngokuzethemba kungayisiza i-Orlando Pirates ukuthi imelane nelinye lamaqembu asatshwayo kwizwekazi i-Afrika, i-Al Ahly, uma sebebhekene kowamaqoqo eCaf Champions League e-Orlando Stadium eSoweto, ngoMgqibelo, ngo-3 ntambama.
Lokhu kushiwo ngenye yezinkakha zaleli qembu laseSoweto, u-Ayanda Gcaba, owabhekana neRed Devils kwiCaf Champions League ngo-2013, nakwiCaf Conferederation Cup ngo-2015.
EzikaMagebhula zibuye namaphuzu aphelele kowokuvula kaGroup C ngesikhathi zithela phansi iCR Belouizdad yase-Algeria ngo 2-1 ekuhambeni. I-Al Ahly nayo ivule ngamaphuzu amathathu ixebula iStade d’Abidjan e-Ivory Coast ngo 4-2.
Emidlalweni eyisithupha iPirates esiyidlale ne-Al Ahly, inqobe emithathu, emibili yaphela zibambene, yashaywa kanye. UGcaba uthe ukhiye wale miphumela wukuzethemba nokuzimisela enkundleni.
“Okwasisiza kakhulu thina ukubambisana nokulwela ukuphakamisa igama leqembu. Sasazi ukuthi i-Al Ahly ngelinye lamaqembu anomlando omuhle e-Afrika kodwa sazitshela ukuthi singamelana nayo. Akekho owayenovalo kithina badlali nakubaqeqeshi,” kusho uGcaba.
“Uma ngibheka iqembu lamanje lePirates ngibona linenqwaba yabadlali abamangalisayo, abanomjiko, izivinini futhi abakwaziyo ukubonana enkundleni. Lezo yizona zikhali ezidingekayo ukuze uwuphathe umdlalo. Kuzofanele baqine nasemuva kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu ukudlala ngokukhululeka.
“Ngiyazi ukuthi akuliphathanga kahle iqembu ukuhlulwa yiStellenbosch FC kowakamuva weligi kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi bebekudinga lokho ukuze baphaphame kulo mdlalo wangoMgqibelo. Kusemqoka ukubuya namaphuzu agcwele ekhaya kulo mqhudelwano.”
UGcaba uphinde wacebisa abadlali beZimnyama ukuthi bangagxili kakhulu ekuvimbeni umdlali wakuleli ogijima kwi-Al Ahly, uPercy Tau, yize besanda kugilwa ngomunye wakuleli, uKhanyisa Mayo, ngesikhathi bedlala kowokuvula wamaqoqo neBelouizdad.
“UMayo ngumuntu engijwayele ukuxoxa naye futhi ubevele elambele ukushaya igoli lakhe lokuqala selokhu afika e-Algeria,” usho kanje.
“Uma kwenzeka uTau edlala ngoMgqibelo, naye uzobe efuna ukwenza umehluko. Uyabazi abadlali abaningi bePirates, abanye usedlalile nabo kakhulu eqenjini lesizwe, kodwa nabo bayamazi. Kufanele bagxile ezinhlelweni zabo, bangabheki umdlali oyedwa.”
Ngesikhathi lawa maqembu eqala ukubhekana kweyamaqoqo eChampions League ngo-2013, eZimnyama zanqoba ngo 3-0 ekuhambeni, owase-Orlando waphela ngo 0-0.
Kwathi esehlangana kowamanqamu ngalowo nyaka, abambana ngo 1-1 e-Orlando ngaphambi kokuthi iRed Devils inqobe ngo 2-0 eCairo.
Ngesikhathi egcina ukuhlangana kowandulela owamanqamu weConfederation Cup ngo-2015, iPirates yadlula ngo 1-0 ekhaya, yanqoba ngo 4-3 e-Egypt.