IMAMELODI Sundowns izobe ibheke ukuqeda ishobolo lokukhishwa kuma-quarterfinal eCaf Champions League njengoba izobhekana neqembu lase-Algeria, iCR Belouizdad, emlenzeni wokuqala ozobanjelwa eNelson Mandela Stadium, e-Algiers, kusasa ngo-9 ebusuku.
Le nkundla eqanjwe ngowayengumengameli waseNingizimu Afrika, iphinde yavulwa ngoJanuwari, kulo nyaka, kanti imumatha abalandeli abangaphezudlwana kuka-40 000.
ISundowns ingene kulesi sigaba ngokuqhwakela kuGroup B, ngamaphuzu angu-14 emidlalweni eyisithupha. IBelouizdad iqede endaweni yesibili kuGroup D ngamaphuzu angu-10.
Leli qembu elizinze edolobheni lase-Algiers, lasungulwa ngo-1962 kanti lingelinye lamaqembu ahamba phambili ezweni lalo. Linqobe isicoco seligi, i-Algerian Ligue 1 nesomkhumulajezi, i-Algerian Cup, amahlandla ayisishiyagalombili umqhudelwano ngamunye.
Liphinde lathatha i-Algerian League Cup kanye, i-Algerian Super Cup kabili neMaghreb Champions Cup kathathu. Noma kunjalo, alikaze liphakamise indebe emiqhudelwaneni yeCaf.
IBelouizdad ecijwa ngumqeqeshi waseTunisia, uNabil Kouki, iqhwakele kwiligi yasekhaya ngamaphuzu angu-45 emidlalweni engu-20. Nokho, izongena emdlalweni wakusasa ibheke ukuzikhotha amanxeba ngemuva kokuguqiswa yi-MC Oran ngo-3-1 koweligi ngoMsombuluko.
Abadlali abayingozi okuzomele iSundowns ibaqaphe ngelokhozi ngowasesiswini, u-Abderrahmane Bourdim nowaphambili u-Islam Belkhir, umgadli waseNigeria u-Anayo Iwuala nowaseCameroon u-Leonel Wamba.
“Ngiyibukile imidlalo yeSundowns ibhekene ne-Al-Ahly yase-Egypt kanye ne-Al-Hilal yaseSudan, ngaqaphela izinto ezithile. Bayiqembu elihle uma bemaka noma behlasela, kodwa kukhona abashoda ngakho uma kukhulunywa ngokuvala ngci emuva,” usho kanje uKouki ephawula ngokubhekana neSundowns emsakazweni iRadio Algeria.
“Kumele ngikugcizelele ukuthi womabili amaqembu anamathuba alinganayo okudlulela kowandulela owamanqamu weCAF Champions League.”
IBelouizdad neSundowns babeseqoqweni elilodwa kwiChampions League ka-2020/21 lapho amaBrazilians anqoba khona ngo-5-1 ekuhambeni, iReds yabuyisa izinduku yawuthatha ngo-2-0 umdlalo wesibili owawuseLoftus.
ISundowns ikhishwe kuma-quarterfinal ngesizini edlule. Leli qembu eliqeqeshwa uRhulani Mokwena, lizoya kulo mdlalo sekuphele imidlalo emine linganqobi ekhaya. Ngempelasonto edlule, lidumaze abalandeli balo likhishwa yiStellenbosch FC kuma-quarterfinal eNedbank Cup.
Owayegijima kumaSandawana futhi oseyinxusa laleli qembu, uTiyani Mabunda, ukholwa ukuthi ukukhishwa yiStellies kufike nezifundo ezizoba wusizo kwiChampions League.
“Izinto azilihambeli kahle iqembu njengamanje. Liqale ladlala ngokulingana imidlalo ilandelana, nokugcine kuholele ekutheni lihlulwe okokuqala ngemuva kwesikhathi eside. Kumele iqembu livuseleleke ukuze liphinde linqobe imidlalo," kusho uMabunda ekhasini leSundowns kwiYouTube.
“Indlela Stellies edlale ngayo icishe ifane nebhola elidlalwa emiqhudelwaneni yeCaf. Asikho isikhathi esiningi sokugcina ibhola, bayakuphoqa ukuthi udlale ngokushesha futhi kumele usebenzise noma yiliphi ithuba olitholayo.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi kube yisexwayiso esihle futhi sifike ngesikhathi esifanele. Iqembu selingakwazi ukuvuka lizithathe ngoba kunomdlalo omkhulu ozayo.
“Kumele sibone abaholi beqembu ngoba aliholwa ngumqeqeshi nokaputeni kuphela, bakhona nabanye abadlala leyo ndima enkundleni okumele balekelele abadlali abangenawo amava.”