AKASIBONI isidingo sokuxhamazela ngamathuba eBafana Bafana okuya kwi-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) uThemba “Mshishi” Zwane.
UZwane ukhuluma kanjena nje ungomunye wabadlali abebesenkundleni iBafana iyeka indlela elula yokuzifaka endizeni ebheke e-Ivory Coast kwi-Afcon ngonyaka ozayo.
IBafana, okuyiwe ekhefini ihamba ngo-2-0 emdlalweni wangoLwesihlanu e-Orlando Stadium, iyeke inqwaba yamathuba kwaze kwaba iLiberia iyabuya emdlalweni ogcine uphele zibambene ngo-2-2.
Manje uMshishi nozakwabo kwiBafana sebehlalelwe umqansa wokunqoba iLiberia kusasa eMonrovia ukuze izibeke ethubeni lokuba ngelinye lamaqembu amabili azoqeda phezulu kuGroup K, ohlanganise neMorocco esazihola phambili eqoqweni ngamaphuzu ayisithupha. IBafana neLiberia babambene ngephuzu.
Yize lo mdlali weMamelodi Sundowns nozakwabo bephoxile ngoLwesihlanu kodwa yena ukutholile azokujabulela ethola umklomelo wePeople’s Choice Award ngoMgqibelo eNorth West lapho bekubanjelwe khona amaSouth African Sports Award. Ubonge bonke abamvotele wase eqinisekisa ukuthi iqembu lesizwe alinavalo ngamathuba okuwina kusasa eMonrovia emdlalweni ozoqala ngo-6 ntambama.
IBafana imelwe umqansa wokunqoba noma ukugwema ukwehlulwa kulo mdlalo.
Iwini yeBafana ingaqinisekisa indawo kwi-Afcon kodwa neLiberia inethuba elifanayo ngoba nayo uma iwaqoqa egcwele, izobe izibeke ethubeni elihle.
Yize iLiberia ithembise iBafana impi eMonrovia, uZwane akasiboni isidingo sokuxhamazela ngamathuba abo e-Afcon.
“Sonke siwulungele umdlalo futhi siyazi ukuthi uma singafaka omunye umfutho kunalo esiwufake kowokuqala, ikakhulukazi ngasekusebenziseni amathuba, sizowuwina umdlalo,” kusho uZwane ekhuluma nethimba labezindaba leSouth African Football Association (Safa) ngaphambi kokufulathela leli izolo ekuseni.
“Ngiyabonga kuwona wonke umuntu osebenzise isikhathi nemali yakhe wangivotela. Lokhu kusho lukhulu kimina kodwa futhi ngiyathembisa ukuthi ngizolokhu ngiqhubeke njalo ngokubajabulisa ngengikwenza enkundleni.
“Akekho kithina ongabazayo ngamathuba ethu kodwa siyazi lapho kufanele silungise khona. Ngiyalethemba iqembu lami, nalo liyazethemba futhi,” kusho uZwane.
Eminye imiklomelo kumaSA Sports Awards ihambe kanje:
Sport Administrator of the Year: Portia Dimu
Sportsman of the Year: Pieter Coetzee
Sportsman of the Year with a disability: Jonathan Ntutu
Sportswoman of the Year: Lara van Niekerk
Sportswoman of the Year with a disability: Minkie Janse van Rensburg
Team of the Year: Rugby 7's — Abesilisa
Newcomer of the Year: Simnikiwe Bongco
Coach of the Year: Rocco Meiring — Swimming
Volunteer of the Year: Zizo Popu — Eastern Cape
Indigenous games team of the year: Limpopo — Ncuva — Male team
National Federation of the Year: Cricket South Africa
Recreation body of the Year: Waves for Change
School team of the Year: St Benedicts Rowing
Developing school of the Year: Helen Frans Special School Wheelchair Tennis
Sports Star of the Year: Andile Dlamini