UMDLALI we-Orlando Pirates, uDeon Hotto, uchaza ukunqoba isicoco seMTN8 okwesithathu njengesipho abangasoze basikholwa uma bengaphumelela ukukwenza.
IPirates engompetha bangesizini edlule balo mqhudelwano, izotholana phezulu neStellenbosch FC kowamanqamu eMoses Mabhida Stadium, ngo-6 ntambama.
Kulo mdlalo asethengwe aphela amathikithi awo, eZimnyama zizobe zilwela ukuqopha umlando wokuba iqembu lokuqala ukunqoba iMTN8 kathathu kulandelana. Nakuba seziyiphakamise amahlandla amahlanu kodwa uHotto usayinqobe kathathu nazo.
Wazibula ngayo kwisizini yokuqala efikile ngesikhathi beshaya ngo 2-1 Bloemfontein Celtic kweka-2020/21. Uyena owashaya elokuqala.
Uphinde wayiphakamisa kweka-2022/23 beshaya AmaZulu nakwedlule begingqa iMamelodi Sundowns kumaphenathi.
Eminyakeni edlule, yake iPirates yayinqoba kabili kulandelelana le nkomishi. Lokhu kwenzeka kweka-2010/11 nakweka-2011/12.
UHotto uthe uyakuqonda ukuthi kuzoba nzima ukufeza leli phupho.
"Kuzoba nzima ukuhlakaza iStellenbosch, inabadlali abanejubane njengathi. Kuzomele imiqondo siyigxilise ngokuphelele kulo mdlalo," kuchaza uHotto.
Uqhube wathi: "Ukunqoba iMTN8 okwesithathu kulandelana kuzoba igugu esingasoze salikhohlwa. Alikho iqembu eselike lakwazi ukwenza lokhu. Impumelelo engicabanga ukuthi umdlali ngamunye wePirates uzoyigubha impilo yakhe yonke."
UHotto oseshaye amagoli amabili emidlalweni eyishumi, uncome umqeqeshi wabo uJose Riveiro nabalandeli babo ngokuba sekhaleni empumelelweni yabo.
"Okwenza umqeqeshi wethu avelele indlela yakhe ehlukile yokuhlela iqembu. Ufike nesitayela sokudlala esehlukile. Ngenhlanhla nathi siyazi ukuthi kudingekani nakithi. Sinenhlanhla yokudlalela iqembu elihlale lifuna ukunqoba. Sibonga kakhulu nakubalandeli bethu ngokuhlale beseseka. Bangumdlali wesi-12," kuqhuba lo mdlali oyibamba ohlangothini lwesinxele.
Ukuphikile ukuthi ingcindezi ikubona kuphela.
"Ingcindezi ihlale ikuyo yonke imidlalo. Angeke ngithi ikithina kuphela kulokhu. Into okumele siyenze ukulinda uMgqibelo, silindele umdlalo ngemiqondo ephusile."
Kwegcine ukuwudlala, iPirates ishaye iRichards Bay ngo1-0 kowe-Betway Premiership ngempelasonto edlule, kanti iStellenbosch ibambane ngo 1-1 nePolokwane City kuyona iligi.