AKAZIMISELE ukubona iqembu lakhe liba yimvu yomhlatshelo, uSteve Barker oqeqesha iStellenbosch FC, ezodudulana ne-Orlando Pirates kowamanqamu eMTN8 ngoMgqibelo, ngo-6 ntambama eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini.
IStellies izobe iqala ukudlala kowamanqamu kulo mqhudelwano kanti iPirates isiyenze eyayo le ndebe eminyakeni edlule njengoba isiyinqobe amahlandla amabili elandelana, ngo-2022 ngango-2023.
Nango-2020, Ezimnyama zakhala zemuka nale nayo, kwathi ngo-2021 yathathwa yiMamelodi Sundowns.
Nakuba iStellies kusayiqembu elisha emlandweni webhola lakuleli, kwazise lasungulwa ngo-2016, lakhuphukela esigabeni esiphezulu ngesizini ka-2019/20, kodwa seliyabalwa namaqembu ahamba phambili ezweni.
Ngesizini edlule inqobe indebe yokuqala, iphakamisa iCarling Knockout Cup, yabuye yaqeda endaweni yesithathu kwi-log, nokwenza uBarker athembe ukuthi ngeke bayivumele iPirates izitanasele kusasa.
“Kule sizini iPirates isidlale imidlalo engu-10, yanqoba eyisishiyagalombili, yadlala ngokulingana kwemibili, yashaya amagoli angu-19, yadedela amathathu. Nathi sesidlale imidlalo engu-10, sashaya amagoli angu-20 sadedela amahlanu. Ngakho-ke ngikholwa wukuthi uma kuqhathaniswa amaqembu, nathi sinabadlali abaningi abaseqophelweni eliphezulu njenge-Orlando Pirates,” kusho uBarker, kwabezindaba izolo, eThekwini.
“Nathi sinabadlali abakwaziyo ukusinqobela imidlalo njengabo. Abadlali babo abahlaselayo abafana noSaleng (Monnapule), Maswanganyi (Patrick), Mofokeng (Relebohile) noMabasa (Tshegofatso) babalwa nabahamba phambili ezindaweni abadlala kuzona.
“Kwesinye isikhathi umdlalo onzima unqotshwa ukukhalipha komdlali othize, futhi banabo labo badlali. Ngikholwa wukuthi nathi sinabadlali abafanayo abangasiphendulela umdlalo futhi abanekhono lokuvula iqembu elivala kahle emuva njengePirates.”
Iphini lomqeqeshi wePirates, uMandla Ncikazi, nalo lincome iStellenbosch FC ngokuba ngelinye lamaqembu ahamba phambili kuleli futhi likholwa wukuthi ezalo zizobhekana nobunzima.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi lona kuzoba wumdlalo wamanqamu onzima kakhulu kunayo yonke esake sayidlala uma sibheka indlela iStellenbosch edlala ngayo futhi ezihlela ngayo enkundleni. Singabahlaziya ukuthi badlala kanjani kodwa basazodlala kanjalo. Ukwazi ukuthi bazokwenzani akusho ukuthi uzokwazi ukubavimba,” kusho uNcikazi.
“Kwesinye isikhathi akusebenzi amaqhinga kodwa kusebenza amakhono abadlali, isivinini sabo nokunye. Banabadlali abaseqophelweni eliphezulu futhi siyazi ukuthi bazobahlela kanjani, kodwa kusazoba nzima ukumelana nalokho.
“Kumele sikhumbule futhi ukuthi abadlali bangabantu. Azoba khona amaphutha lapha nalaphaya. Siyawazi amandla abo nabo bayawazi awethu. Ngiyethemba ukuthi sizokwenza amaphutha amancane kunabo, sidlale umdlalo wethu futhi sidlalele ukunqoba.”
IPirates ishaye iSuperSport United ngo 3-1 kuma-quarterfinal yaphinde yaguqisa iCape Town City ngo 3-1 kowandulela owamanqamu uma sekuhlanganiswe imilenze yomibili.
IStellies idlule ngo 3-1 kwiTS Galaxy kuma-quarterfinal ngaphambi kokushaya iMamelodi Sundowns ngo 2-0 uma kuhlanganiswa imilenze yomibili kowandulela owamanqamu.