OWAYENGUMDLALI AKE we-Orlando Pirates eminyakeni edlule, uVincent Sokhela, uthi iqembu kufanele likulwele ukubuyela kwiCaf Champions League ngesizini ezayo.
IPirates esendaweni yesithathu kwi-log yeDStv Premiership, ibanga neStellenbosch FC ukuqeda endaweni yesibili ngenhloso yokuzibekisela indawo kwiChampions League ngesizini ezayo.
Womabili amaqembu ehlukaniswe yiphuzu elilodwa. IStellenbosch inamaphuzu angu-50, iPirates inangu-49.
IPirates izosonga imidlalo yeligi ngo-3 ntambama ngokubhekana neSupersport United, e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi iStellenbosch izobe ivakashele iRichards Bay FC ngo-3 ntambama khona, eKing Zwelithini Stadium, eMlaza.
IPirates iphume kuseva kwiChampions League ikhishwa yiJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana, emzuliswaneni wesibili weChampions League.
“IPirates ibaphoxile abalandeli ngokuphuma ekuseni kwiChampions League, ngakho kubaluleke kakhulu ukuthi ikulwele ukubuyela kulo mqhudelwano ngesizini ezayo.
“Ngikholwa wukuthi isabakweleta abalandeli bayo isicoco seChampions League eyagcina ukusinqoba kusadlala thina,” kusho uSokhela, owayeseqenjini lePirates elanqoba iChampions League ngo-1995.
“Uma igcine ikwazile ukubuyela kwiChampions League ngesizini ezayo, kuzomele ilwele ukugeza igama layo ngokukhishwa kwayo ekuseni yiJwaneng Galaxy.
“Noma-ke ingasakwazanga ukungena kwiChampions League, nakho ukubamba iqhaza kwiConfederation Cup kubalulekile kakhulu, ngoba kula masizini amabili edlule yakwazi ukufinyelela kowamanqamu.
“Siyakudinga ukuthi sihlale sinamaqembu enza kahle emiqhudelwaneni yeCaf njengoba neSundowns (Mamelodi) yenza kwiChampions League, yize-ke isaphikwa yinhlanhla yokufika kowamanqamu.”
Ukuzibekisela kweZimnyama indawo kwiChampions League akusekho ezandleni zayo njengamanje ngoba kufanele ziwunqobe kumnyama kubomvu kwiSupersport, bese zithandazela ukuthi iStellies ishaywe noma idlale ngokulingana neBay.
Leli qembu laseSoweto selike lazama ukusibuyisa isicoco seChampions League ngokufinyelela kowamanqamu ngo-2013, kodwa laguqiswa yi-Al Ahly yase-Egypt.
KwiConfederation Cup eZimnyama sezike zafinyelela kowamanqamu, zaguqiswa yiRS Berkane yaseMorocco ngo 5-4, sekukhahlelwa amaphenathi ngo-2022.