UKUKHULA komgadli we-Orlando Pirates osanda kubuya ekubolekisweni kwiMoroka Swallows, uTshegofatso Mabasa, kuphithanisa ikhanda lomqeqeshi waleli qembu, uJose Riveiro, njengoba kulimele u-Evidence Makgopa ekubeni besalinde ithuba uZakhele Lepasa, Souaibou Marou noKermit Erasmus.
Ompetha be-Ke Yona bazifake esigqokweni sama-quarter final ngokunqoba ngembudlu ka 4-0 kwiHungry Lions koweLast 16, lapho bekugqame khona uMabasa (oshaye amagoli amabili) ngoMgqibelo ebusuku, e-Orlando Stadium.
Izinkinga zeSwallows zezezimali ebezisematheni ngasekupheleni konyaka odlule, ziholele ekutheni lo mgadli obalwa nabayiqale kahle isizini yeDStv Premiership, abuyele kwiPirates singakafiki isikhathi sokuphela kwesivumelwano phakathi kwala maqembu aseSoweto ngokubolekana ngaye.
Kubagadli abasemabhukwini ePirates, uMabasa uyena ohamba phambili ngamagoli ayisithupha kwiligi kulandele uMakgopa oseyibhakuzise amahlandla amahlanu.
ULepasa obengekho esikwatini somdlalo weNedbank neHungry Lion edlala kwiMotsepe Foundation Championship, unamagoli amathathu eligi. UMarou no-Erasmus kusemnyama kubona.
Nakuba uMabasa ebelokhu ekhombisa ukuthi ulilambele igoli kusukela ebuyile kodwa akwenze koweHungry Lions kushiye uRiveiro ephithene.
“Ubungozi bukaMabasa phambi kwamapali buyaziwa ngakho ngeke ngande ngakho kabanzi kodwa akwenzayo ukungena khaxa endleleni esifuna umgadli wethu adlale ngayo,” kusho uRiveiro esithangamini nabezindaba.
“Uyaqhubeka nokuziveza kimina njengomgadli okunguyena ozovumela isitayela sethu sokudlala. Ngaphandle kokuvalela enethini amagolii, kunendlela esifuna umgadli wethu anyakaze ngaye.
“Akukho okufanele akulungise kwakwenza uma esebhokisizini kodwa uma ekude nepali kukhona lapho okusafanele akhule khona okuyinto okusobala ukuthi uyayizama.
“KwiPirates umgadli asimbuki ngeso lamagoli kuphela kepha sibheka nokuthi ikhona yini indlela azosisiza ngayo ukuthi sidlale kangcono. Uyasinika lokho uMabasa okuyinto enhle kithina njengthimba labaqeqeshi,” kusho uRiveiro.
Kumchazile lo mqeqeshi ukuthi iPirates igcine isidlala ngokukhululeka koweHungry Lions yize kuqale kwaba sengathi idonsa kanzima.
“Besibhekene neqembu elikwaziyo okufanele likwenze nelizimiselayo ngakho-ke akubanga lula ngale ndlela abaningi abebecanga ukuthi kuzoba iyona.
“Siwuqale ngebatha lo mdlalo ngokwami kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwacaca umehluko phakathi kwezigaba okudlala kuzona amaqembu abebhekene,” kuphetha uRiveiro. IPirates engompetha banyakenye beNedbank, isizolinda ukuqhathwa kwamaqembu kusihlwa ukwazi ezodlala nalo kuma-quarterfinals.