INHLANHLA yokuba nabadlali abazimisele ukulalela nabanekhono kulaba abahlonzela iStellenbosch FC, yikhona okuwukhiye weqembu elicoboshisa kwasani kulezi zinsuku.
Lona wumbono kaSteve Barker, oyinhloko yabaqeqeshi eqenjini elibonakala lizuza ngenxa yokuthi liyakholelwa ekuziphekeleni abadlali ezinkulisa zalo, bese libakhuphulela esikwatini esikhulu esigijima kwiDStv Premiership.
IStellies ekhiqiza abadlali bohlobo oluphambili ezinkulisa zayo ihleli emhlane weMamelodi Sundowns eqhwakele kwi-log. Inamaphuzu awu-38 emidlalweni ewu-21.
Akuwona umlingo owenza iqembu laseKapa, lihlale endaweni yesibili kwi-log. Ukudlondlobala kwalo ngamandla eminyakeni edlule kufundisa amanye amaqembu ukuthi kwesinye isikhathi impumelelo ayithengwa.
Umdlalo ka-19 iStellies ingayazi induku maphakathi nesonto, umchaze kakhulu uBarker ngoba bawuwinele ekuhambeni bebhekene neqembu elithathwa njengelinye lamakhulu ezweni, iKaizer Chiefs. I-Stellies ayikahlulwa kuyona yonke imidlalo yePremier Soccer League (PSL) yakamuva futhi isakhona kwiNedbank Cup, esesigabeni sama-quarterfinal.
UDevin Titus, ungomunye wabadlali ezikhulisele bona iStellenbosch. Nguyena ongcwabe iChiefs waqinisa nendawo yesibili yeqembu lakhe ngegoli, okube yilona lodwa e-FNB Stadium.
Abadlali okubalwa uJayden Adams, no-Iqraam Rayners sebeyabizwa eqenjini leBafana Bafana kanti iStellies ibe yiqembu lokuqala elidle isicoco esisha sePSL, iCarling Knockout Cup.
Iqembu elincane leStellies selike lasidla isicoco seDStv Diski Challenge (DDC), lapho kugqame abadlali abaningi asebesesikwatini esikhulu.
“Inhlanhla esinayo eyokuthi abadlali esibathola ngaphandle (kwezinkulisa zeqembu) kuba uhlobo lwabantu abamnene ngakho-ke konke okubonayo, iqiniso labo nokuzinikela,” kusho uBarker ebuzwa ngemfihlo yabo njengoba kungathi abashayeki kulezi zinsuku.
“Sizinike isikhathi sokubumba inqanawe yenkulisa ngenhloso yokuvuna njengoba sekwenzeka kodwa konke lokhu bekungeke kwenzeke ngaphandle kweso lalaba abasihlonzela abadlali.
“Konke okwenzeka kwiStellenbosch kuyisibonelo sokuthi kungenzekani uma nihloniphana futhi engekho omkhulu kunomunye.
“Ngesikhathi abaphathi beqala iqembu bebefuna ukwakha umndeni okuyinto engiyibona yenzeka futhi ikhula njengoba nathi silokhu sithola imiphumela encomekayo,” kuphetha uBarker.
IStellies izolwela ukubambelela endaweni yesibili kwi-log ngomdlalo wasekhaya namuhla, neSekhukhune United ngo-8 ebusuku eDanie Craven Stadium.