UBONA ezoba nekusasa eliqhakazile kakhulu uThapelo Maseko uma edlala phambili kunasesiswini umqeqeshi weMamelodi Sundowns, uManqoba Mngqithi.
UMaseko (20) ufike kumaBrazilian ngoJulayi nyakenye esuka kwiSuper Sport United.
Lo mdlali owakhulela enkulisa yaMatsatsantsa uzakhele udumo ngokusebenzisa ijubane esiswini ngakwesokunxele nokukhanda aphinde ashaye amagoli.
Nokho uMngqithi, osephethe izintambo kumaSandawana kulandela ukuhamba kukaRhulani Mokwena, uthe umbona enakho konke okudingekayo ukuze abe wumgadli owuhlupho ezitobheni.
Lolu qweqwe lomqeqeshi luqalile ukumsebenzisa kule ndawo ngesikhathi belungiselela isizini entsha ekhempini ebiphesheya, e-Austria.
“Ngimdlalise kakhulu uMaseko njengomgadli e-Austria futhi usethuthuke ngendlela eyisimanga. Kungijabulisile engikubonile ngoba benginemibuzo ngaye njengomdlali wasesiswini. Ngicabanga ukuthi kuningi angakunika khona njengomgadli,” usho kanje, uMngqithi ngesikhathi echaza ngezinhlelo zesizini entsha ekhasini leqembu kwiYouTube.
“Abantu abaningi bakholwa wukuthi unomjiko kodwa mina angiboni kanjalo. Ngicabanga ukuthi uyakwazi ukungena ezikhaleni ezingemuva kwezitobha ngokushesha ngenxa yejubane lakhe. Uyakwazi nokubeka ibhola enethini. Lezo zinto ezimbili zimenza abe wumgadli oyingozi kakhulu.
“Unamandla futhi yize ebukeka emncance ngokomzimba. Ushaye amagoli amahle kakhulu ejimini nakowokungcweka ne-Al Arabi. Uphinde washaya ingcwenga yegoli sibhekene neSekhukhune United ngaphambi kokuthi siye phesheya.”
Isizini kaMaseko yokuqala kwiSundowns ayibanga ilokhu obekulindelekile ngenxa yokulimala. Wadonseka umsipha edlalela iBafana Bafana kwi-Africa Cup of Nations ngoFebhuwari, waphinde walimala eqakaleni ngasekupheleni kwesizini.
Udlale imidlalo engu-24 emiqhudelwaneni ehlukene, washaya amagoli amabili. Womabili wawashaya kwi-African Football League.
Kwi-Afcon washaya igoli elilodwa iBafana ixebula iNamibia ngo 4-0 kowamaqoqo.
“Ngenxa yamandla akhe kwesinye isikhathi ungamsebenzisela ukuvimba abadlali basemuva ngaphambi kokuthi aqale ukugijima, nakanjani uzofika kuqala ebholeni. Lokho ukwenze kahle kule midlalo yobungani esisanda kuyidlala,” uqhube kanje uMngqithi.
“Ngikhethe ukumfaka phambili ngingambuzanga ukuthi uyafuna yini ukudlala khona. Bengifuna ukumbuza esedlalile. Ngikholwa wukuthi uma ungambuza manje ukuthi ufuna ukudlala kuphi angathi ukufuna ukuba wumgadli odlala endaweni kanombolo-9.
“Okunye okungichazayo ngaye wukuthi uyakwazi ukukala ukuthi kufanele agqashuke nini, ngakho-ke akulula ukuthi atholakale esemhlabeni ongamfanele. Lokho kubalulekile ngoba ngicabanga ukuthi ngesizini edlule silahle inqwaba yamathuba ngenxa yama-offside.”
ISundowns izovula isizini ka-2024/25 ngokubhekana nePolokwane City kuma-quarterfinal eMTN8 eLucas Moripe Stadium ngeSonto ngo-3 ntambama.