UMQEQESHI owabona isibabuli se-Orlando Pirates, uMohau Nkota (20), udalula isithembiso esenziwa yilo mdlali osephenduke isilomo sabalandeli beZimnyama.
UMandla Qhogi owayengumqeqeshi wePirates kwiDStv Diski Challenge eminyakeni edlule, wathola uNkota esebenza ngaphansi kohlelo iSibonise IDiski olwalenziwa ngeZimnyama neShield eNorth West, ngo-2018.
Babethungatha abadlali abaneminyaka ephakathi kuka-18 no-23. Ngenxa yokuthi uNkota ngaleso sikhathi wayeneminyaka engu-15 yobudala, uQhogi nozakwabo baphoqeka ukuthi bamtholele iqembu azodlala kulona, iSol Plaatjie University kwi-Safa Regional League ngaphambi kokumlanda esezodlala kwelika-Under 19 leZimnyama. Ikhono likaNkota ligqame esedlala kwiDiski ngaphansi kukaQhogi ngesizini ka-2019/2020.
Lo mdlali osehlalisa ebhentshini izethenjwa kweZimnyama, ushaye amagoli amabili ngesikhathi iPirates yehlula ngo 2-0 iCR Belouizdad yase-Algeria, emdlalweni wokuqala wesigaba samaqoqo seCaf Champions League. Emasontweni adlule, wenze okufanayo ngesikhathi iPirates yehlula AmaZulu ngo 2-1 emdlalweni weBetway Premiership.
“Abantu abaningi abazi ukuthi uNkota waqala ukuziqeqesha nesikimu esikhulu ngesizini ka-2021/2022 kodwa wafika walimala. Emuva kwalokho, wahlala izinyanga ezimbili engadlali. Lokhu kwamphazamisa nakwiDiski. Ngesikhathi abanye abadlali benyuselwa esikimi esikhulu akaphathekanga kahle kodwa wayenethemba ngoba uMandla Ncikazi usekhona njengomunye wabaqeqeshi ayeziqeqesha ngaphansi kwabo,”kusho uQhogi oseqeqesha iMilford ehleli esicongweni kwiMotsepe Foundation Championship.
“Ngijabule kakhulu ngendlela adlondlobala ngayo. Bekunesikathi eside singakhulumi naye. Kodwa emuva kokudlala okokuqala esikimini esikhulu, wangifonela wathi ngeke aphiphoxe. Emuva kokushaya amagoli amabili, ngamfonela nami ngabonga ngokungenza umqeqeshi osezingeni. Abantu sebezokholelwa esweni lami lokubona abadlali. Wangitshela ukuthi njengoba esefinyelele esikimini esikhulu, ufuna ukulungisa okwasekhaya ngoba akaphumi emndenini ocebile. Lawo mazwi ayangikhuthaza kakhulu ikakhulukazi ngoba avela kumdlali osemncane,” kusho uQhogi.
Emasontweni adlule umqeqeshi wePirates, uJose Riveiro, uzwakalise ukuchazeka ngoNkota nozakwabo ayeyibamba naye kwiDiski, uRelebohile Mofokeng. Amagoli amane esikimini esikhulu sePirates akhiwe nguMofokeng.
“NjengoRele (Mofokeng) ikusasa lingelabo manje. Kusezandleni zabo ukuzithoba, bazinakekele ukuze bezoqhubeka nokufunda kulo msebenzi. Manje okunzima wukuqinisekisa ukuthi udlala isikhathi eside. Baningi abadlali abaphumelele ukungena kwiPremier League. Manje sekuyisikhathi sabo sokusebenza kanzima ukuze bezodlondlobala ngoba abanye bazokwenza lokho. Ngimfisela konke oluhle, ungumfana ozithobile futhi osebenza kanzima,” kusho uRiveiro.
Ukuthola indawo esikimini esikhulu kukaNkota kwandisa isibalo sabadlali abasuka enkulisa asebeyibamba kwiPremiership. Abanye nguThabo Sesane, Innocent Maela ongukaputeni noThabiso Monyane.
UQhogi uthe: “Abantu abawaziyo umlando phakathi kwami noNkota bayangikhuthaza futhi bayangibongela. Ngifuna ukumbona ezithobile, ehlonipha futhi esiza abanye abadlali abasebancane . Ngifisa afinyelele ezingeni eliphezulu, abizelwe nakwiBafana Bafana. Ngibonga abaqeqeshi esikimini esikhulu sePirates ngokumnika ithuba.”