OWAYENGUMGADLI weDurban Bush Bucks engalibheki ipali eminyakeni edlule, uCalvin “Mkhonto” Petersen, uthe amaqembu aKwaZulu-Natal adlala kwiDStv Premiership kumele ashintshe ukwenza kule midlalo esele ukugwema emathonsi abanzi.
Kule midlalo ewu-11 esele, amaqembu amane aKwaZulu-Natal okungaMaZulu FC, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Royal AM neRichards Bay FC abhekene nenselelo yokuvika elinye ishobolo lokwehluleka ukuzibekisela indawo kwiTop 8 ngokuphela kwale sizini, okuyisimo esiwehlele ngesizini edlule.
Ngaphandle kwalokho, la maqembu abhekene nomthwalo wokugwema ukuthi kungabikhona iqembu lakulesi sifundazwe elizodliwa yizembe esigabeni esiphezulu njengoba kwenzekile ngesizini edlule ngeMaritzburg United.
Njengamanje iRichards Bay isendaweni ka-15, kuthi iRoyal AM ibe sendaweni ka-13 kwi-log yePremiership, okuyisishozi okudlalela kuso izembe.
AmaZulu ne-Arrows batetene endaweni ka-11 neka-12 ngokulandelana, nokuphonsela la maqembu inselelo yokuxaxama kulezi zindawo akuzona ukugwema ukwehluleka wukuzibekisela indawo kwiTop 8 ngaphambi kokusongwa kwale sizini ka-2023/24 eseziqala ukuhuba sakusha kuyona.
IRichards Bay ebuya esibhaxwini sika 3-0 esithole kwiChippa United ngoLwesithathu, izobhekana neTS Galaxy kowePremiership, namuhla ngo-8 ebusuku, eKing Zwelithini Stadium, eMlaza.
AmaZulu ayobhekana neSupersport United ekuhambeni, ePeter Mokaba Stadium, ePolokwane, namuhla ngo-5.30 ntambama, iRoyal AM ibhekane neCape Town City ngeSonto ngo-5.45 ntambama, eHarry Gwala Stadium, eMgungundlovu.
I-Arrows izobhekana nePolokwane City khona kusasa, e-Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, ngo-3.30 ntambama.
“Ngokwami, phakathi kwamaqembu aseKZN, AmaZulu yiwona ebenginethemba lokuthi azokwenza kangcono kule sizini ngaphansi komqeqeshi uPablo Franco Martin.
Kodwa kuze kube manje kuyacaca ukuthi nakuwona izinto azikahambi ngendlela obekulindeleke ngayo.
IRoyal AM, Richards Bay neGolden Arrows banezinselelo ezehlukene, ikakhulukazi iRoyal AM engakwazanga ukusayinisa abadlali ngenxa yesigwebo sayo seFifa kodwa ngikholwa wukuthi la maqembu abengenza kangcono kunalokhu, ukugwema ukuzithola ekulesi simo akusona njengamanje kulesi sikhathi sesizini,” kusho uPetersen, owake waba yiphini likaNeil Tovey kuMaZulu FC ngesizini ka-2009/2010.
“Uma engashintshi ukwenza (amaqembu) kule midlalo esele, isifundazwe singase sizithole siba nelinye futhi iqembu elidliwa yizembe njengoba kwenzekile nangesizini edlule.
Angifuni ukungena ngasohlangothini lokuphathwa kwamaqembu ebhola akulesi sifundazwe kodwa kuyacaca ukuthi kukhona okungahambi kahle futhi okulokhu kuqhubeka minyaka yonke.
Nokho, isifiso wukuthi okungenani amabili noma elilodwa liqede kwiTop 8, ukunqoba iNedbank Cup sekungaba ibhonasi ngoba emidlalweni yomkhumulajezi kungawina noma yiliphi iqembu, ngisho elingabhekiwe.
Bese lingabi bikho eligawulwa yizembe. Leso yisifiso sami, ikakhulukazi njengoba AmaZulu neRichards Bay besasele kwiNedbank,” kuqhuba uPetersen owadla isicoco seligi yeNSL (esiyiPremiership) neBush Bucks ngo-1985, neJohn Player Special (esiyiCarling Black Label Knockout) ngo-1987.
Ukuqhubeka nokuqoqa amaphuzu kweCape Town Spurs esemsileni, kuya ngokuya kudonsela iRichards Bay emhhumeni futhi leli qembu laseKapa lisazodlala nayo iRichards Bay kule midlalo engu-11 elisalele.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi ezikaVusumuzi Vilakazi zibukeka zisalelwe yimidlalo engelula kwengu-11 uma kuqhathaniswa neSpurs phakathi kwayo kukhona iTS Galaxy, Supersport United, Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs ne-Orlando Pirates.