UMQEQESHI weMamelodi Sundowns, uRhulani Mokwena, uqhosha ngokuvuthwa kweqembu lakhe, athi selifundile ukuthi zikhona ezinye izindlela zokunqoba imidlalo emqhudelwaneni iCaf Champions League ngaphandle kokudlala ingcwenga yebhola abadume ngalo.
ISundowns iqinise indawo yayo ku-Group A ngesikhathi inqoba ngo 1-0 wegoli elishaywe uTebogo Mokoena, kwiPyramids yase-Egypt, ngoLwesibili, eJune 30 Stadium, ekuhambeni.
Kusukela kuqale le sizini, iSundowns ikhombisa izimpawu zokuyishiya emuva indaba yokukholelwa ekuphaselaneni noma kusobala ukuthi izitha zidlala injenje kulo mqhudelwano.
Leli qembu elisayidle kanye iChampions League ngo-2016, seliphume kaningi ngasemaphethelweni alo mqhudelwano kungafanele.
Obekucaca kule minyaka ukuthi iSundowns ayiguquki endleleni edlala ngayo yize amanye amaqembu - ikakhulukazi awasenhla ne-Afrika - anezindlela eziningi ezahlukene zokuqinisekisa ukuthi athola umphumela ovuna wona ngaso sonke isikhathi.
Bekungeyona iSundowns ejwayelekile ngesikhathi inqoba kwiPyramids kwazise ilwile ukuze ithole lo mphumela. Ikhona neminye imidlalo kwiDStv Premiership kule sizini lapho leli qembu linqobe khona ngenkani, hhayi ngendlela ebelidlala ngayo.
“Sisendaweni lapho senza khona lokhu okufunwa umdlalo ngoba sinothando lukanobhutshuzwayo ngakho-ke siwunika lokhu osicela khona,” uphendule kanje uMokwena esithangamini nabezindaba, ebuzwa ukuthi ngabe iSundowns isifundile yini ukuthi kukhona into okuthiwa ukuwina kabi.
“Uma umdlalo uthi asime emuva silinde ukuthi izitha zihlasele, sesenza lokho. Uma uthi asibangene ngejubane silalela lokho ngakho-ke abacabanga ukuthi iSundowns isafana naseminyakeni edlule, basele bodwa lapho.
“ISundowns isivuthwe ngokwanele ukwazi okufanele ikwenze ngesikhathi umdlalo ofuna ngaso ikakhulukazi kwiChampions League.
“Uma kufanele siwine nge-free kick noma ngekhona kuzobanjalo ngoba unobhutshuzwayo wamanje usebenza kanjalo,” kulandisa uMokwena.
Okunye uMokwena athe iqembu lakhe selikufundile eminyakeni edlule kulo mqhudelwano wukuthi kumqoka kangakanani ukuzimisela ukusebenza.
“Abadlali bami sebekhule ngokwanele ukwazi ukuthi simelwe ukusebenza ngaphambi kokuthola umphumela oncomekayo okuyisibusiso kimina njengomqeqeshi.
“Besiwuphethe umdlalo cishe wonke kwiPyramids kodwa besazi ukuthi kunezikhathi lapho kufanele sithwale khona kanzima. Okungijabulisayo ukuthi angisakuqeqeshi okufanele bakwenze abadlali, sebeyazazela,” kuphetha uMokwena sakuqholosha.
ISundowns iqhwakele ku-Group A ngamaphuzu ayisikhombisa emidlalweni emine lapho ibambene khona ne-TP Mazembe yaseDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC), bese kuthi iPyramids neNouadhibou yaseMauritania, basendaweni yesithathu neyesine ngokwahlukana ngamaphuzu amane. NgeSonto, iSundowns izobe iyibambe koweDStv Premiership neCape Town City, eCape Town Stadium. Izoya kulo mdlalo isayinqobe yowu-11 imidlalo yeligi.