INHLOKO yabaqeqeshi kwiMamelodi Sundowns, uManqoba “TV” Mngqithi, ifanise iwini yabo yeBetway Premiership kwiKaizer Chiefs njengamazwibela otalagu abazobhekena nalo kwiCaf Champions League abaqala eyamaqoqo ayo ngasekupheleni kukaNovemba.
ISundowns iqhubekile nerekhodi layo elingenawo ugcobho kwiligi ngokunqoba ngo 2-1 kwiChiefs emdlalweni obuhanjelwe izinkumbi zabantu ngoMgqibelo e-FNB Stadium, eSoweto.
Kube, uLucas Ribeiro no-Iqraam Rayners, abaqinisekise ngamagoli esiwombeni sokuqala ukuthi iSundowns iyaqhubeka nokuqhwakela kwi-log becisha, elikaRanga Chivaviro, alishaye umdlalo usanda kuqala.
ISundowns ebithwelwe ngeqoma ukuba izidlele amahlanga ngenxa yerekhodi layo lakamuva uma ibhekene neChiefs ithwale kanzima kulo mdlalo ikakhulukazi esiwombeni sesibili.
Ngaphandle koshintsho olubonakalayo olufike nomqeqeshi omusha, uNasreddine Nabi kwiChiefs, indlela abalandeli bayo abebeleseka ngayo iqembu labo kulezi zinsuku ikhumbuze uMngqithi ngabasazobhekana nakho njengoba sebengena kweyamaqoqo kwiChampions League. Eyamaqoqo izoqhathwa ngo-Okthoba 7 e-Egypt.
Ngesikhathi ekhuluma esithangamini nabezindaba emuva komdlalo uMngqithi ufanise umdlalo weChiefs noweChampions League.
“IChiefs isidudule ngamandla zisuka futhi kucaca ukuthi sizothwala kanzima uma singashintshi ukuqalaza okuyinto enhle ngoba izimo ezifuze lezi sizobhekana nazo kwiChampions League,” kusho uMngqithi.
“Ngaphandle kokuthwala kanzima enkundleni, nabalandeli beChiefs bekungathi basemahlombe ethu okuyinto efanayo futhi nesiyijwayele uma sisekuhambeni kweyase-Afrika.
“Ngihlabeke umxhwele ngokuthi iqembu lami libenawo amava okumelana nabo bonke ubunzima obusabekayo ebesibuthweswa iChiefs.
“Indlela yokudlala siyishintshe kaningi ngenxa yobunzima ebesibhekene nabo. Ziningi izimo ezisithuse kwabanda amathumbu kulo mdlalo ikakhulukazi lapho iChiefs ebisikhombisa khona izimpawu zokubuya ngamandla.
“Kukona konke lokhu abadlali bami bakwazile ukumelana nabo bonke ubunzima obebujikijelwa iChiefs nabalandeli bayo,” kuqhuba yena.
Abanye bangasho ukuthi okungenani iChiefs bekumele iphume nephuzu kulo mdlalo njengoba iphikelwe igoli lokulinganisa ngasekupheleni komdlalo, kwathiwa u-Edson Castillo usemhlabeni ongafanele.
ISundowns eyagcina ukudla iChmapions League ngo-2016 iphinde yaqhuzuka kowandulela owamanqamu nangesizini edlule.
“Noma ngabe iliphi iqembu esizoqhathwa nalo kweyamaqoqo eChampions League lizosinika inkinga efanayo uma sesiya kulona ngakho-ke besisidinga isivivinyo esisinikwe iChiefs.
“Kusemqoka nokufunda kwiChiefs ngendlela ezigcwalisa ngayo izinkundla kusukela kuqale isizini. Lokhu iChiefs ekwenzayo kufanele kwenze thina nabanye sizinuke amakhwapha siphinde sizibuze ukuthi singafika kanjani ezingeni layo,” kusho uMngqithi.
ISundowns izobuyela enkundleni neqembu esazoqhathwa nalo kwiCarling Knockout Cup maphakathi no-Okthoba.