PHEZU kokuba iMamelodi Sundowns isaqhubeka nokukhony ba kwiDStv Premiership kodwa unyaka ka-2023 ulibuyisile ithemba ngokubuya kwesithuzi sePremier Soccer League (PSL).
I-PSL ibalwa nezinhlangano eziphezulu ekuphathweni kwebhola e-Afrika kodwa kade sekubukeka yehlelwa yisithunzi ngenxa yokuwola izindebe kweqembu elilodwa. Unyaka ka-2023 uveze okuhlukile, wabuyisa ithemba ngokubuya kwezinsuku esezadlula lapho izindebe zazicazelwana eMzansi.
UKUHLABANA KWEPIRATES NGO-2023
IPirates ivale isizini edlule, yaqala unyaka ka-2023 ngokuwina indebe yeNedbank Cup ngesikhathi yehlula iSekhukhune United eLoftus Versfeld Stadium, ePitoli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umqeqeshi wayo uJose Riveiro uqede endaweni yesibili kwi-log yePremiership. Ekuqaleni kwesizini ka-2023/2024, iPirates iphinde yaphakamisa indebe yeMTN8 ngemuva kokwehlula iSundowns eThekwini. Lokhu kuhlabana kwePirates kunike isiqiniseko sokuthi iSundowns ngeke isawola zonke izindebe ezikhona kule sizini.
ISUNDOWNS IQHUBEKILE NOKUWINA ILIGI
Nakuba amanye amaqembu ephumelele ukuthola izindebe ngo-2023 kodwa kuphinde kwabanzima ukuvimba iSundowns ekutheni iwine iligi. AmaBrazilians asewine iligi yePremiership amahlandla ayisithupha elandelana. Avala unyaka nje, asahlezi phezulu esicongweni se-log yePremiership. Ngaphandle kokuwina iligi, iSundowns iphakamisele phezulu ifulegi leNingizimu Afrika ngesikhathi iwina umqhudelwano obuqala ukubakhona i-African Football League (AFL). Lo mqhudewano uqhatha amaqembu ahlonishwayo ebholeni lase-Afrika, ajwayele ukugadulisana kwiCaf Champions League.
AMAQEMBU ADLIWE YIZEMBE NANYUKELE KWI-PREMIERSHIP
Ukuphela kwesizini ka-2022/2023, esongwe ngoMeyi, kulethe izinyembezi emaqenjini agawulwe yizembe okuyiMarumo Gallants neMaritzburg United. IGallants iqede emsileni we-log, iTeam of Choice itabalase kweyokuhlunga kodwa yagcina ihlulekile ukugcina indawo yayo kwiPremiership. Ukwehlela kwiMotsepe Foundation Championship kweGallants neMaritzburg kuvule izikhala zePolokwane City neCape Town Spurs. IPolokwane iwine iligi yeMotsepe, yalandelwa yiSpurs okudingeke yehlule iMaritzburg ukuze ingene esigabeni esinoju nezinyosi. Nakuba iPolokwane ifike kwiPremiership yashesha ukuqala ukuqoqa amaphuzu kodwa kunzima kwiSpurs ehlezi emsileni we-log.
ABADLALI ABAFULATHELE I-PSL NGO-2023
Nakuba abadlali bePSL bengasajwayele ukufunwa ngamaqembu aphesheya kwezilwandle kodwa izinto zishintshile kancane ngo-2023. Abadlali abasebancane abebeshaya into ecokeme kwiPSL, bathathe iso lamaqembu ahlukene phesheya kwezilwandle. NgoJulayi, iSundowns idayise umgadli uCasius Mailula kwiToronto FC edlala kwiMajor League Soccer (MLS) e-USA. Lo mgadli odabuka eLimpopo, ulandelwe ngumdlali wasemuva weStellenbosch, u-Olwethu Makhanya, odayiselwe iPhiladelphia Union e-USA. Ngaphandle kwalaba badlali, uSiyabonga Ngezana udayiswe yiKaizer Chiefs kuFCSB yaseRomania.
EZIBUHLUNGU NGO-2023
I-PSL igubezelwe yifu elimnyaka ngoMashi ngesikhathi kudlula emhlabeni ukaputeni weRichards Bay FC, uSiphamandla Mtolo, ngemuva kokuwa beziqeqesha. Lokhu kushiye isilonda esikhulu kwiNatal Rich Boyz. Ukushona kukaMtolo kuqubule imibuzo ngokufanele kwenziwe ukuvikela isimo esifana nesakhe ebholeni laseMzansi. UMtolo ulandelwe ngumgadli waMaZulu, uBongi Ntuli, ogule isikhashana ebanjwe wumdlavuza. Ukushona kukaNtuli kushaye kwazwela Osuthwini kwazise kade lubheke ukuyowina indebe yeCarling Cup. Ngaphandle kwalokho, lokhu kushiye isikhala kuMaZulu kwazise kudingeke aqale ukuzingela umgadli ozovala isikhala sikaNtuli. Kungakapheli namasonto amabili, ukufa kuphinde kwagadla ngesikhathi kuthatha unozinti uGeorge Chigova waseZimbabwe obesanda kuhlukana neSuperSport United. UChigova, owayalelwa ngodokotela ukuthi aliyeke ibhola ngenxa yesifo esiyamaniswa nenhliziyo, uwile esendlini yakhe eGoli.
I-STELLENBOSCH IWINE INDEBE YOKUQALA
Unyaka ka-2023 uyohlala ufana nonyaka wesivuno kwiStellies kwazise iwona ehlabane ngawo ngendebe yokuqala esigabeni esiphezulu. IStellies iphakamise indebe yeCarling Knockout ngemuva kokwehlula iTS Galaxy kowamanqamu eThekwini. Leli qembu elisungulwe ngo-2016, selikhiqize abadlali abanigi abasebancane okuyibona abakhathule indima ebonakalayo ekutheni liwine le ndebe. Impumelelo yeStellies, edayise abadlali abayizinsika kule sizini, akubuzwa ukuthi izogqugquzela inqwaba yabadlali abasenkulisa.
Kuningi okuhlala kugxekwa ngePSL njengeligi kodwa kufanele kushayelwe ihlombe ukungavuleki kwegebe lemidlalo phakathi kwamaqembu phezu kokuba amanye edlala imidlalo yeCaf. Okunye okushintshile, yisivinini sokuthethwa kwamacala amaqembu nokugwetshwa kwawo.