OWAYEYINJINI yasesiswini nokaputeni we-Orlando Pirates, u-Innocent “Inno” Mncwango, uthi kuseyisilonda kuyena nanamuhla ukuthi akayitholanga indondo yeCaf Champions League ngenkathi leli qembu linqoba lesi sicoco ngokuguqisa i-Asec Mimosas yase-Ivory Coast, kowamanqamu ngo-1995.
UMncwango owayengukaputeni wePirates ngo-1995 wakhishwa ngekhadi elibomvu emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala wamanqamu weChampions League owaphela zibambene ngo 2-2 eFNB Stadium, eGoli.
Lokho kwaholela ekutheni uMncwango angangeni eqenjini lePirates elaliyodlala kowomlenze wesibili, e-Abidjan, e-Ivory Coast. Ibhande likakaputeni lathathwa ngu-Edward “Magents” Motale. EZimnyama zayiguqisa ekhaya iMimosas ngo 1-0 wegoli likaJerry Sikhosana.
“Indondo yeCaf Champions League iyigugu elikhulu kumdlali webhola elikhokhelayo e-Afrika, yingakho ukuba yingxenye yeqembu le-Orlando Pirates elaqopha umlando ngokuwina iChampions League okokuqala ngo-1995, kwaba yinto enkulu kimina nozakwethu ngaleso sikhathi.
Yize ngangingadlalanga emdlalweni wamanqamu womlenze wesibili e-Abidjan, ngenxa yokuthola kwami ikhadi elibomvu emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala eGoli, kodwa ngenkathi ngibona ozakwethu benqoba i-Asec Mimosas bephakamisa indebe ngibuka kwithelevishini, ngajabula kakhulu,” kusho uMncwango, owaqala ukugqama kwiJomo Cosmos ngo-1993.
“Okwangiphatha kabi wukuthi ekubuyeni kwabo ozakwethu sebegaxe izindondo zabo zokunqoba iChampions League, eyami indondo yayingekho. Lokho kwangiphatha kabi kakhulu, kwawuphula umoya wami. Ngathi ngiyabuza ukuthi iphi eyami indondo, ngangayithola impendulo eqondile kowayeyimenenja yeqembu ngaleso sikhathi, uLawrence “Big Bear” Ngubane ongasekho, umoya wakhe uphumule ngokuthula.
Empeleni nguyena njengemenenja yeqembu okwakufanele aqinisekise ukuthi bonke abadlali bayazithola izindondo zabo, ngisho nalabo ababengabanga yingxenye yeqembu elalihambile. Kunzima nokuthi izingane zami zikholwe ukuthi ngayiwina ngempela iChampions League nePirates, ngoba anginayo indondo.
Nokho ngakudlulisa lokho futhi angimbambelanga igqubu uNgubane kodwa kusukela lapho angibange ngisajabula ngokuba kwiPirates. Yingakho ngesizini elandelayo ka-1996/97 ngajoyina AmaZulu, kodwa nakhona ngadlala isikhathi esincane kakhulu, ngaliyeka ibhola,” kuqhuba uMncwango, osengujele eJohannesburg Correctional Services, eyaziwa ngeSun City.
EZimnyama zizovula umqhudelwano weChampions League ngokudlala neCS Disciples yaseMadagascar, eNational Sports Complex, eSaint Pieree, eMadagascar, ngeSonto ngo-1 ntambama.
“Ngikholwa wukuthi leli bhodwe eliphekwayo kwiPirates seliyavuthwa okwangempela manje. Isikwati abanaso sihlangene ngokwanele ukulwela ukuwina iligi kule sizini nokwenza kahle kwiChampions League. Osekusele manje wukuthi balwele ukugcina umgqigqo emidlalweni abayidlalayo ikakhulukazi eyasekhaya ngoba inselelo abasabhekene nayo yiyona leyo yokubhala becisha,”kuphetha uMncwango.