ISTELLENBOSCH FC izongena emlenzeni wokuqala kowandulela owamanqamu eMTN8 neMamelodi Sundowns kusihlwa igcwele ukuzethemba ngokusho kwesitobha sayo uThabo Moloisane.
Lawa maqembu azodudulana ngoLwesithathu eLucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium, e-Atteridgeville ngo-7 ebusuku.
IStellies iwashise iTS Galaxy ijezi ngo 3-1 kuma-quarterfinal kwathi iSundowns yadlula kwiPolokwane City ngo 1-0.
UMoloisane uthe nakuba bebuqonda ubunzima bokubhekana neqembu elisezingeni eliphezulu njengamaBrazilian kodwa imiphumela yabo yakamuva emidlalweni yokuhlungela iCaf Confederation, lapho bexebule khona iNsingizini Hotspurs yase-Eswatini ngo 3-0 nango 5-0, ibaqinise idolo.
“Leyo kube yimiphumela emihle futhi inyuse ukuzethemba kithina njengoba sibheke kule midlalo emibili neSundowns. Iqembu lizilungiselele kahle futhi sizame ngazo zonke izindlela ukuba bukhali ukuze sithole umphumela omuhle ePitoli,” kusho uMoloisane.
“Akulula ukudlala neSundowns kodwa ngikholwa wukuthi nathi siyiqembu eliqinile. Sizozama ukuwulawula umdlalo. Sifuna ukuya ePitoli siwunqobe umlenze wokuqala. Sifuna ukuqophisana nabo futhi asigxilile ekutheni banabaphi abadlali eqenjini labo. Sigxile kakhulu eqenjini lethu.”
Leli qembu elicijwa nguSteve Barker lidlale okokuqala kwiMTN8 ngesizini ka-2022/23, lakhishwa yiKaizer Chiefs sekukhahlelwa amaphenathi kuma-quarterfinal.
Ngesizini edlule lifinyelele kowandulela owamanqamu kulo mqhudelwano lapho ladlala khona ngokulingana ngo 2-2 ne-Orlando Pirates uma sekuhlanganiswe imilenze yomibili. Nokho, ezikaMagebhula yizona ezadlulela kowamanqamu ngenxa yokushaya amagoli athe xaxa ekuhambeni.
IStellies ilikhuphule kakhulu izinga ngesizini ka-2023/24 njengoba inqobe isicoco sayo sokuqala, idla iCarling Black Label Knockout, yaqeda isithathu kwiligi, yaphinde yafinyelela kowandulela owamanqamu kwiNedbank Cup, lapho yakhishwa khona yiSundowns ngo 2-1.
UMoloisane uthe sezadlula izinsuku lapho bebezongena khona emdlalweni ofana nowakusihlwa kungekho muntu olindele ukuthi bangawunqoba. Uthe umoya ovunguza ngaphakathi eqenjini owokuthi banganqoba noma yiliphi iqembu uma bezimisela.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi indlela esicabanga ngayo isishintshe ngokuphelele. Sibonile ngesizini edlule ngesikhathi sifinyelela kweyandulela owamanqamu kabili saphinde sanqoba nendebe ukuthi yize iqembu lethu linabadlali abaningi abasebancane kodwa lingakwazi ukulwa uma libhekene nalawa anenqwaba yabadlali abanamava,” kusho uMoloisane.
“Izinto sezishintshile manje. Asiziboni siyiqembu elingenalo ithuba lokunqoba noma iqembu elincane. Le sizini entsha ingelinye ithuba lokuthi sikhombise ukuthi sisazoqhubeka nokulwela izindebe.”
IStellenbosch neSundowns bazophinde bahlangane emlenzeni wesibili ozodlalelwa eMoses Mabhida Stadium ngeSonto ngo-3 ntambama. IStellies isasebenzisa le nkundla yaseThekwini njengekhaya layo kulezi zinsuku njengoba iDanie Craven Stadium ingekho esimweni esigculisayo.