NAKUBA iStellenbosch seyihlulwee ukuphakamisa izinkomishi ezimbili kule sizini kodwa umdlali osephenduke esinye sezithenjwa zayo, uSanele Barns, akalilahlile ithemba lokuthi izophela le sizini kukhona okuhle okuzuzwe iqembu labo.
Lesi sikhwishikhwishi saseTweefontein, eMpumalanga, sijoyine iStellies ngaphambi kokuqala kwesizini ka-2024/25 sisuka kwiRichards Bay FC.
USteve Barker ongumqeqeshi weStellies akachithanga sikhathi njengoba embophele zisuka uBarns. Owokuqala kube ngabashaye kuwo iTS Galaxy ngo 3-1 kowama-quarterfinal eMTN8.
Umdlalise kwaze kwaba bashaywa i-Orlando Pirates, ngo 3-1 kowamanqamu alo mqhudelwano.
Nangempelasonto edlule ubekhona bekhishwa iMarumo Gallants kowama-quarterfinal eCarling Knockout abebengompetha bayo. Engakafiki, iStellies yanqoba le nkomishi ishaya yona iGalaxy.
Nakwiligi, usayidlale yonke eyeBetway Premiership eyisithupha. Usashaye igoli elilodwa. Uphinde wadlala emithathu yeConfederations Cup.
UBarns odlala ohlangothini lwesinxele, ukuvumile ukuthi kumphathe kabi kakhulu ukushaywa kowamanqamu eMTN8 nokukhishwa kwiCarling.
"Selokhu ngangena ebholeni elikhokhelayo angikaze nginqobe nkomishi. Angifuni ukuphika, ngesikhathi sidlala owamanqamu eMTN8 laba khona ithemba lokuthi hleze ngiyinqobe inkomishi yokuqala. Ngaphatheka kabi kungasenzeki lokhu. Sazitshela ukuthi sizoziduduza ngeCarling. Nakhona kube buhlungu uma siphucwa iMarumo ithuba lokuvikela inkomishi yethu," kubeka uBarns.
Uqhube wathi: "Akusenani usekhona umqhudelwano osele, neligi okumele nakule sizini senze kahle kuyo. Uma sizoqhubeka ngale ndlela ngibona sinalo ithuba lokuzuza okuhle kule sizini.“
Namuhla ngo-7.30 ebusuku, e-Athlone Stadium, iStellies izobhekana neGalaxy kothathwa njengowamagqubu.
IStellies ilele kweyesine ngamaphuzu awu-11 emidlalweni eyisithupha. Isanqobe emithathu, yadliwa kowodwa, yadlala ngokulingana kwemibili.
IGalaxy ihleli kweyokugcina. Ayikanqobi nowodwa kweyeligi.
"Ukuya kwiChampions League ngesizini ezayo kungaba into enkulu kithina. Yingakho ngithi nginethemba lokuthi kukhona okuhle esizokuzuza kule sizini. Kumele sinqobe noma kanjani kwiGalaxy. Nakuba siyidlile emidlalweni edlule kodwa kuhlale kuyinkinga ukubhekana nayo. Kulokhu iyingozi kakhulu njengoba ingakanqobi nowodwa," kuqhuba uBarns.