ISIQALA ukumkhathaza indawo iqembu elihleli kuyona kwiDStv Premiership umqeqeshi waMaZulu FC, uPablo Franco Martin, njengoba bephinde behluleka ukucosha amaphuzu ngoMgqibelo.
Usuthu luguqiswe yi-Orlando Pirates ngo 1-0 emdlalweni obuse-Orlando Stadium ngegoli elishaywe nguTshegofatso Mabasa esiwombeni sesibili.
Ngesikhathi kuyiwa ekhefini ngaphambi kokuqala kwe-Africa Cup of Nations ngoJanuwari, lo mqeqeshi wayegculisekile ngesibalo samaphuzu abebenawo emgodleni.
Nokho selokhu imidlalo ibuyile ngoFebhuwari, Usuthu luthole amaphuzu ayisithupha emidlalweni eyisishiyagalombili yeligi. Lunqobe owodwa, lwadlala ngokulingana kwemithathu, lwadliwa kwemine.
EzikaFranco Martin oteketiswa ngelikaCijimpi, zisendaweni ka-13 kwi-log ngamaphuzu angu-28 emidlalweni engu-24.
“Ngikhathazekile ngoba manje sesisesimeni lapho kubukeka sengathi asikulweli okufanele ngabe siyakulwela. Cishe ngeke silwele ukuvika izembe, angicabangi kanjalo,” kusho lo mqeqeshi.
“Sibhekene nobunzima ngoba sinabadlali abazophelelwa yizinkontileka maduze kodwa kwenzeka okufanayo nakwamanye amaqembu. Kule sigaba sesizini lapho kusuke kubhidlange khona ukukhathala, ubhekene nomsebenzi onzima, ungekho endaweni okufanele ube kuyo futhi unazo zonke lezi zinto emqondweni wakho kubanzima. Ngeke ngiqambe amanga, ngikhathazekile ngesimo esikusona.”
AmaZulu anqotshwa yiPirates koweligi nje, asanda kukhishwa yiqembu elifanayo kuma-quarter-final eNedbank Cup. Kulowo mdlalo lo mqeqeshi wakhala ngezinto ezenzeka enkundleni ezaholela ekutheni bangawunqobi umdlalo.
NgoMgqibelo, Usuthu luqede umdlalo lungasaphelele kulandela ukukhishwa kwesitobha u-Abbubaker Mobara ngekhadi elibomvu kusadlule imizuzu engu-21.
UFranco Martin ukholelwa ekutheni bebezophuma nokuthile kulo mdlalo ukube bawuqede besaphelele.
“Kusiphindile futhi lokho. Esikhathini esingangesonto siphinde sadlala umdlalo omangalisayo. Ngesikhathi womabili amaqembu esaphelele besiphezu kwabo. Sakhe inqwaba yamathuba futhi saphinde sashaya ipali. Yiqembu elilodwa kuphela ebelikhonya enkundleni,” usho kanje.
“Emva kwalokho, wonke umuntu ubonile ukuthi kwenzekeni futhi. Sikwazile ukuqophisana nabo ngisho sesishoda, sasiqeda kahle isiwombe sokuqala. Nesesibili sisiqale kahle kodwa bagcina bekwazile ukusinqoba ngoba sishoda. Besibathwalise kanzima kodwa kuthe uBrooks (Ethan) esalele phansi basebenzisa lelo thuba lokudlulela phambili bayoshaya igoli.
“Kakungithusanga lokho ngoba ngesikhathi sidlala nabo kowomkhumulajezi salikhiphela ngaphandle ibhola ngesikhathi omunye wabo elele phansi. Sakwenza lokho ngesikhathi sihlasela. Balibuyisela kithina kwadaleka i-goal-kick base besicindezela ngokushesha.”
Umdlalo olandelayo waMaZulu kuzoba oweligi azowudlala neChippa United eMoses Mabhida Stadium ngoMgqibelo.