KUFANELE ukuba kuqhilika izihlathi kubaxhasi ngemuva kokugwemana kweMamelodi Sundowns ne-Orlando Pirates kweyandulela eyamanqamu yeMTN 8 kulandela ukuqhathwa kwamaqembu ngeSonto eLucas Moripe Stadium.
Kweyandulela eyamanqamu ezodlalwa imilenze emibili, iSundowns izoqala neStellenbosch FC ekhaya komunye iPirates ibhekane neCape Town City eKapa.
Ngaphambi kokuqhathwa, iSundowns ebibonakala okokuqala ngaphansi kobuholi, bukaManqoba “TV” Mngqithi, inqobe kwiPolokwane ngo 1-0 wegoli okube umkhonto ogwaze ekhaya, kaThanang Matuludi, esikhathini esengeziwe.
Umdlalo uphele iSundowns ingasaphelele kulandela ukukhishwa ngekhadi elibomvu, kukaDenis Onyango, esiwombeni sesibili.
Lo mdlalo bekungowokuqala iSundowns iwugijima ngaphandle, kukaRhulani Mokwena, okwenze abaningi bawubheka ngabomvu kulandela izethembiso zoshintsho zikaMngqithi ngaphambi kwawo.
Akuthathanga isikhathi esingakanani ukuthi kuqapheleke isandla esihlukile kwiSundowns njengokudlala maphakathi nenkundla kuka-Aubrey Modiba, ojwayeleke ezimpondweni.
Imizuzu yokuqala engu-45 iphele, uPeter Shalulile, eselishaye amahlandla amabili ipali kodwa nePolokwane ibilitholile elayo ithuba, ngoCole Alexander, ogezwe, uDenis Onyango.
Nakuba iSundowns ibiliphethe ibhola futhi ifika kulandelana ezintini zePolokwane kodwa lokhu bekubukeka kungazikhathazi kangako izivakashi umdlalo waze waya ekhefini.
Esiwombeni sesibili kube iPolokwane ebuya ngomfutho ongcono yafika kulandelana ezintini zika-Onyango, kubhoke ijubane, likaHlayisi Chauke.
Ngokubona ukuthi izinto azishintshi abaqeqeshi nhlangothi zombili basukumise izethenjwa zabo kwangena, u-Oswin Appollis, kwiPolokwane kwaba, uThemba “Mshishi” Zwane, kwiSundowns.
Ukungena kukaZwane akuzange kugcine ngokuchwazisa izihlwele kepha neSundowns iqalile yahlanganisa amaphasi kangcono.
Yize la maphasi afike noZwane ebemahle kodwa iSundowns ibizigwaza ngowayo isikhathi esiningi ngokufuna ukungena nebhola enethini esikhundleni sokukhahlelela ipali.
Baswele umgodi wokucasha abeSundowns ngomzuzu ka-81 ngesikhathi kukhishwa u-Onyango ngekhadi elibomvu esolwa ngokuvimba ibhola ngesandla engaphandle kwebhokisi.
Lokhu kuphoqe ukuthi iSundowns ivimbise, uMosa Lebusa, kuze kuphele umdlalo. Lokhu kudalwe ukuthi ibisisele nophawini wokushintsha umdlali oyedwa kodwa ibingakwenza lokhu esikhathini esengeziwe.
Ngomzuzu ka-11 esikhathini esengeziwe, uMatuludi ulishaye ngakubo ezama ukukhipha umhlola ekhaya. Emuva kwaleli goli iSundowns ibisidlalela ukuchitha isikhathi kwagcina kuyilungele.
Izinsuku nezinkundla okuzodlalwa kuzona eyandulela eyamanqamu yeMTN8 kusazomenyezelwa iPremier Soccer League (PSL).