UKUDLALA ibhola elihle nokuhamba ibanga elide kwiCarling Black Label Knockout, nyakenye, kunika umqeqeshi waMaZulu, uPablo Martin, ithemba lokuqeda ishobolo leNedbank Cup nokuba ithofi le-Orlando Pirates.
La maqembu azobhekana kowama-quarterfinal eNedbank Cup eThekwini, osukwini olusazomenyezelwa. KwiLast 16, Usuthu ludlule kwiSekhukhune United, eZimnyama ezivikela le nkomishi, zawashisa ijezi iHungry Lions.
Lo mdlalo waMaZulu noPirates, uthathwa njengowamagqubu. Abalandeli boSuthu abasoze balukhohlwe usuku lwangoNovemba 5, 2022, iPirates ishaya iqembu labo kowamanqamu, eMTN8, eMoses Mabhida Stadium. Base benethemba lokuthi liyaphela ishobolo leminyaka engaphezu kuka-30, lokuhlulwa izinkomishi.
Nasemdlalweni wokuvala isizini efanayo, ka-2022/23, eZimnyama zanqoba koweligi ngo-4-0.
Kwephezulu, emlenzeni wokuqala, ayikho evume ukugoba uphondo.
Ukwenza kwahle kwiNedbank, AmaZulu akugcina ngo-2010, efinyelela kowamanqamu. Ahlulwa iBidvest Wits, emdlalweni okwakuvulwa ngawo iFNB Stadium.
UMartin utshele abezindaba ukuthi ubona benawo amathuba okufinyelela kowamanqamu eNedbank.
"Umdlalo wethu nePirates uzoba nzima uphinde ube mnandi. Kuyinto enhle ukuthi ngemuva kweminyaka ewu-14, Usuthu lukwazile ukufinyelela kuma-quarterfinal, eNedbank. Sizokwenza konke okusemandleni okuthi singene kowamanqamu. Nakuba iPirates inabalandeli yonke indawo, okuhle ukuthi sizobe sidlalela ekhaya," kubeka uMartin.
Lo mqeqeshi uveze nokuthi kuyamkhathaza ukuba kwaMaZulu ithofi lePirates.
"Okunye okusigqugquzela ukunqoba kwi-quarterfinal yeNedbank ukuthi sifuna ukuqeda ukucanasa kwePirates phezu kwamakhandla ethu. Sekuphele isikhathi eside AmaZulu ehluleka ukuyishaya. Kumele yazi ukuthi seligaya ngomunye umhlathi.
“Izinga esidlala ngalo linyukile uma kuqhathaniswa nesizini edlule. Sakha into ehlukile nalaba badlali. Sizama ukushintsha umlando. Abadlali bethu sebebizelwa nakwiBafana Bafana. Isibonelo uMondli Mbanjwa oqokwe eqenjini elizodlala eyobungani. Lokhu bekungenzeki phambilini. Nakwiligi sifuna ukuqhubeka nokwenza kahle. Kancane, kancane sizogcina sesingawazi nokuthi ayini amaqembu amakhulu.”
Selokhu lo mqhudelwano wasungulwa ngo-1971, usabizwa ngeLife Challenge Cup, alikho iqembu laKwaZulu-Natal eselike lawunqoba. Eligcine ukwenza kahle kuwo iMaritzburg United eyashaywa iFree State Stars ngo-2018, kowamanqamu.
Ukunqoba inkomishi kwawakulesi sifundazwe kwagcina ngeLamontville Golden Arrows, iphakamisa eseMTN8, ngo-2009.