KUZOTHATHA isikhathi ukuthi zibonakale enkundleni izilomo zeMamelodi Sundowns ebezihambe neBafana Bafana kwi-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) ngoba zibuye kulo mqhudelwano zilimele ngendlela engaphezulu kwale ebicatshangwa kulo mqhudelwano obuse-Ivory Coast.
ISundowns idlulele kwi-Last 16 yeNedbank Cup ngokunenebula i-NB La Masia ngo 6-1 ngoLwesibili ebusuku, eSoweto, ngaphambi kokubhekisa amabombo eMauritania.
URhulani Mokwena ongumqeqeshi weSundowns utshele abezindaba esithangamini abenaso nabo eDobsonville Stadium ngemuva komdlalo weNedbank, ukuthi ngeke babekhona ngoMgqibelo koweCaf Champions League, oMothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau, Themba Zwane noRonwen Williams ngoba balimele.
Ompetha beDStv Premiership bazovakashela i-FC Nouadhibou emdlalweni ka-Group A weChampions League ngoMgqibelo ngo-3 ntambama, eStade de la Capitale, eNouakchott.
“Siphoqelekile ukuthi singabasebenzisi abadlali abebehambe neBafana ngoba, uMothobi (Mvala) noKhuliso (Mudau), ngeke sibe nabo okungenani amasonto acela kwayisishiyagalombili,” kusho uMokwena.
“Angizange ngiyithande kakhulu ekaMudau ngoba sonke sibonile ukuthi ulimalile kodwa kweminye yemidlalo waqhubeka nokusetshenziswa.
“Ubethinteke into engatheni kodwa lokhu kudlaliswa kwenze isimo saba sibi kunalesi obekuzoba isona ukube akaqhubekanga.
“UWilliams unenkinga ehlombe. Uyena-ke esimphumuzile kodwa sizomubheka ukuthi uqhuba kanjani. Omunye umdlali onenkinga uZwane naye esimubhekile,” kuqhuba lo mqeqeshi.
Laba badlali bathinteka nje, uThapelo Maseko, vele ubuye e-Ivory Coast kwaziwa ukuthi uzohlala isikhathi eside kulandela ukudonseka umsipha kwi-Afcon.
Ngaphandle kokuthi iSundowns ibuyela kwiChampions League, ukungabibikho kwalaba badlali kungase kuphazamise isizini yayo njengoba imelwe imidlalo emihlanu emqoka ngaphambi kwekhefu lemidlalo yamazwe ngenyanga ezayo.
Njengoba izobe iseMauritania ngoMgqibelo, uma ibuya imelwe ukubhekana naMaZulu FC, TS Galaxy neChippa United kwiligi kanti phakathi kwale midlao kukhona noweChampions League ne-TP Mazembe yaseDemocratic Republic of Coango (DRC).
Eqoqweni leChampions League, iSundowns ibambene neMazembe ngamaphuzu ayisikhombisa emidlalweni emine ngakho-ke iwini ngoMgqibelo imqoka kakhulu kuyona.