UFUNA ukushiya umsizilo wezicoco eqenjini lakhe ukaputeni waMaZulu FC, uMakhehlene Makhaula. Ukaputeni ungomunye wabadlali okulindelwe lukhulu kubo kusasa emlenzeni wesibili wesemi final yeMTN8, ephakathi kwabo neKaizer Chiefs eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini.
Umdlalo, okungangatshazwa ukuthi uzothanyelwa yizinkumbi zabalandeli ikakhulu ngenxa yomlando nobukhulu bamaqembu abangayo, uqala ngo-3.30 ntambama.
AmaZulu agcine ukunqoba isicoco ngeCoca Cola Cup ngo-1992 kanti iChiefs ize yaduma ngelaMakhosi ezicoco nokho okwamanje ingaphansi kwesomiso seminyaka ebheke eshumini, ingaqukuli nkomishi.
UMakhaula uthi sekuyisikhathi sokuqopha kabusha umlando waMaZulu nezicoco.
“Ngihlale ngibatshela ukuthi kumele sizenzele owethu umlando. Nami ngiyafisa ukuthi kuqoshwe emlandweni weqembu wokuthi kunokaputeni onguMakhaula, oke waphakamisa indebe yeMTN8. Ngiyazi bayalalela ngakho bayazi ukuthi sikudinga kanjani ukunqoba kwi-semifinal nakwi-final,” kusho uMakhaula.
“Maningi impela amathuba okuthi kule sizini sinqobe okungenani isicoco esisodwa inqobo nje, uma sizoqhubeka nokubambisana. Emidlalweni yethu emibili yakamuva sikhombise izimpawu ezinhle.”
“Kulo mdlalo kudingeka amadoda angempela ngoba sizobe sibhekene neChiefs enabalandeli abaningi eThekwini. Beza lapha nje bangaphansi kwenkulu ingcindezi.”
Le njini eshikisha ukwedlula iningi phambi kwezitobha nasenkabeni yenkundla, ingomunye wabadlali esikwatini soSuthu, abanalo uhlanga lokunqoba izicoco kwazise ubeyibamba kwiFree State Stars inqoba iNedbank Cup ngo-2018.
Yize ingu-30 iminyaka AmaZulu esizwa ngendaba isicoco kodwa kulokhu isikwati sibophele inqwaba yabadlali abanamava emidlalo yemikhumulajezi.
“Sinabo abadlali abanawo amava emidlalo yemikhumulajezi njengoMphahlele (Rmahlwe), Mhango (Frank), Majoro (Lehlohonolo) nabanye asebeke bazinqoba izicoco. Nami uqobo sengike ngayinqoba inkomishi yize bekungesiyo iMTN8,” kusho uMakhaula.
AmaZulu abuya emasontweni abengemahle. Agcine ukunqoba ngo-Agasti 19 ehlula iSwallows FC.
Azakhele irekhodi elibi lokuzihola phambili ngamakhadi abomvu kule sizini kanti nasezintini, isethenjwa sikanozinti wabo sineshwa lokugwaza ekhaya, okuyinto engandile neze.
“Umqeqeshi ukhulumile nathi ngokudlulisa izigameko ezimbi ezisehlele kamuva nje. Uthe asigxile kakhulu kokuhle esikwenze emidlalweni emibili yakamuva. Okumqoka wukuthi sifake ibhola enethini. Kumqoka ukuthi sigxile ekunqobeni umdlalo wangeSonto (kusasa),” kusho uMakhaula.