UMQEQESHI waMaZulu FC, uPablo Franco Martin, udalule ukuthi ufuna ukubona ezakhe zenza ezibukwayo ngesizini ezayo. Wathi yingakho ewuthatha njengobalulekile umqhudelwano wokuzifudumezela ukuqala kwesizini iKZN Premier’s Cup, ozodlalwa ngempelasonto ezayo.
AmaZulu angompetha banyakenye bePremier’s Cup, aboshelwe namaqembu amahlanu aKwaZulu-Natal, adlala kwiPremier Soccer League. (PSL). Womahlanu azodlana imilala emqhudelwaneni waminyaka yonke ngoJulayi 27 kuya ku-28, ePrince Mangosuthu Regional Stadium, oLundi.
“Sifuna ukwenza kangcono kakhulu ngesizini ezayo kunangesizini edlule. Ngakho umqhudelwano ubaluleke kakhulu kithina ekutheni sikwazi ukuzilungiselela, sikwazi nokubona ukuthi sesimakuphi ngamalungiselelo ethu okuqala isizini,” kusho uMartin.
Nokho, umqeqeshi uzwakalise ukuba nexhala lokuthi angakugwema kanjani ukulimala kwabadlali kulesi sikhathi esimqoka sokulungiselela ukuqala kwesizini.
“Njengomqeqeshi nginexhala ngokulimala kwabadlali okungase kube khona ngaphambi kokuqala kwesizini ngenxa yesimo senkundla (Mangosuthu Regional Stadium). Ngakho ngithandazela ukuthi kungabi bikho ukulimala kwabadlali bami kulo mqhudelwano.”
AmaZulu azovula neLamontville Golden Arrows emdlalweni wokuvula kwiPremier’s Cup ngoMgqibelo ozayo, nokubukeka kungomunye wemidlalo ezothatha amehlo abathandi bebhola abazobe bethamele le midlalo oLundi.
Lo mqeqeshi odabuka eSpain, noteketiswa ngelikaCijimpi, kubukeka eyiqonda inselelo aphonselwe yona ngumengameli weqembu, uSandile Zungu. Usihlalo weqembu ukubeke kwacaca esithangamini nabezindaba ngoMsombuluko ukuthi ufuna iqembu liqede isizini libalwa namaqembu angasesicongweni se-log yeDStv Premiership ngenhloso yokuthi libuyele kwiCaf Champions League.
Usuthu lwadlala okokuqala kwiChampions League ngesizini ka-2021/22 ngemuva kokuqeda endaweni yesibili kwi-log yePremiership ngesizini ka-2020/21 okwakungokuqala ukwenziwa yileli qembu.
Nokho, ngesizini edlule ngaphansi kukaMartin obekuyisizini yakhe yokuqala eqeqesha iqembu, liqede endaweni ka-11 kwi-log yePremiership.
Nakuba kusalindeleke ukuba iqembu limemezele abadlali abanohlonze eselibasayinisile ngaphambi kokuqala kwesizini entsha ka-2024/25 kodwa bakhona abambalwa eselibasayinisile.
Phakathi kwabo kubalwa uBoniface Haba ongumgadli odabuka eGuinea, yabe isiboleka omunye umgadli u-Etiosa Ighodaro kwiMamelodi Sundowns, nomgadli uSenzo “Mbhobho” Ndlovu osuka kwiSinenkani FC edlala kwiSafa Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League.