UMQEQESHI weTS Galaxy, uSead Ramovic, ubona umdlalo wabo wama-quarter-final eMTN 8 neStellenbosch FC ungelinye ithuba lokuthi azwane amandla nomqeqeshi amthatha njengohamba phambili ebholeli lakuleli, uSteve Barker.
IRockets neStellies bazobhekana eDanie Craven Stadium, eStellenbosch, ngeSonto ngo-3 ntambama.
EzikaRamovic zizobe zidlala okokuqala kulo mqhudelwano kanti iStellies izoba yingxenye yawo okwesithathu kulandelana.
Lo mqeqeshi oshaye ungqimphothwe sekuthiwa uyashiya kwiGalaxy, eshelwa yiqembu laseMorocco iRaja Casablanca, usegxile ekuqhubekeni lapho egcine khona ngesizini edlule.
“Kuyithuba elihle ukuba yingxenye yalo mqhudelwano lapho sizovula khona neqembu elisezingeni eliphezulu. Uma sidlala neStellenbosch kuhlezi kuwumdlalo onzima kakhulu futhi ngike ngasho phambilini ukuthi ngimkhonzile umqeqeshi wayo,” kusho uRamovic.
“Ngokubona kwami, bekufanele aqokwe njengomqeqeshi ovelele ekupheleni kwesizini edlule. Lowo nje umbono wami, ngenxa yezinto ezimangalisayo azenzile. Kuzoba nzima kodwa sizozilungiselela futhi ngethemba ukuthi kulokhu singanqoba.”
Ngesizini edlule, uBarker unqobe iCarling Knockout Cup neStellenbosch, wafinyelela kweyandulela owamanqamu kwiMTN 8 neNedbank Cup, walala isithathu kwiligi.
Ubengomunye wabebeqokiwe emunxeni weDStv Premiership Coach of the Season kodwa indondo yagcina ithathhwe nguRhulani Mokwena, obeqeqesha ompetha beligi iMamelodi Sundowns ngesizini edlule. Kuyaziwa ebholeni lakuleli ukuthi uRamovic noMokwena bebengabhekani.
UBarker uthe kubalulekile ukuthi iqembu lingagxili kakhulu kokwenzeke ngesizini edlule kodwa liqinisekise ukuthi liyakusebenzisa ukuze lizuze okungcono kule sizini ezoqala.
“Siwubheke ngabomvu umdlalo wangeSonto. Mina nomqeqeshi uSead kanye neTS Galaxy sibe nezimpi eziningi kula masizini ambalwa edlule. Akukaze kube lula ukuhlangana nabo. Bayiqembu eliqeqeshwe kahle futhi benze kahle nabo ngesizini,” kusho uBarker.
“Okusemqoka kithina wukuthi singagxili kakhulu ezintweni ezinhle ezenzeke ngesizini edlule. Kufanele sibone ukuthi ikusasa lisiphatheleni. Sifuna ukuqhubeka nokukhula njengeqembu, senze konke okusemandleni ethu emdlalweni ngamunye.”
Komunye umdlalo we-quarter-final yeMTN 8 ozodlalwa kule mpelasonto, ompetha i-Orlando Pirates bazotholana phezulu neSuperSport United e-Orlando Stadium ngoMgqibelo ngo-6 ntambama.
ISekhukhune United izobe isigadulisana neCape Town City ngo-Agasti 10 kanti iMamelodi Sundowns izobhekana nePolokwane City ngo-Agasti 11.