UMQEQESHI we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, uzwakale ephelelwa ngamazwi ehluleka nokuchaza ngokukhishwa kwezakhe ekuseni kwiCaf Champions League.
IPirates ihluleke yancama ukwedlulela esigabeni samaqoqo seChampions League iguqiswa yiJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana, ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku, e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto, ishiya izindimbane zabalandeli bayo bedangele, ishaywa ngo 5-4 sekukhahlelwa amaphenathi.
Yize iPirates inqobe ngo 1-0 wegoli lika-Evidence Makgopa kulo mdlalo womlenze wesibili weChampions League, kodwa lokhu kwenze waphela lo mdlalo zibambene ngo 1-1 neGalaxy uma sekuhlanganiswa amagoli njengoba iGalaxy nayo yayinqobe ngo 1-0 kowomlenze wokuqala, eGaborone, eBotswana, zabe seziya kumaphenathi.
Ekhuluma nabezindaba ngemuva komdlalo, uRiveiro uzwakale ebindwa ngamagama, engazi ukuthi ayichaze athini le eyehlele ezakhe.
“Akukuningi esingathi siyakusho ngalo mdlalo wanamuhla (izolo). Umdlalo okunzima ukuwuchaza uma ubuka ngeso lokushaywa kwamagoli. Ngicabanga ukuthi abafana badlale ngendlela ebingasenza sidlulele phambili esigabeni esilandelayo.
Kodwa ngenxa yezizathu okunzima ukuzichaza, asikwazanga ukukwenza lokho emdlalweni, nakumaphenathi nakhona kusihlulile...“, kusho uRiveiro obezwakala ukuthi umoya wakhe uphansi.
URiveiro uthi njengoba bebevele bengene enkundleni bazi ukuthi balandela ngemuva, ubelindele ukuthi basheshe bawashaye amagoli. Kodwa imizamo yabo beyiphelela ezeni njengoba ibhola belingafuni nhlobo ukubhajwa enethini, naleli abalitholile liqhamuke ngemuva kwesibhudubhudu ebhokisini leGalaxy, lagcina liqedelwa uMakgopa.
“Umdlalo siwuqale sivele silandela ngemuva kodwa angazi yini okumele ngiyisho. Bekunzima kithi ukushaya amagoli emidlalweni emine edlule.
Nendlela esilithole ngayo igoli lanamuhla, kube yigoli elingelihle - ibhola lizishayise epalini laze lagcina lingenile,“ kuqhuba uRiveiro.
Lo mqeqeshi ube esevuma ukuthi ukukhishwa kwePirates kulo mqhudelwano ekuseni yinto engamukelekile, futhi uzokwamukela ukugxekwa ngayo njengomqeqeshi.
“Akwemukelekile lokhu. Iqembu silibumbele ukuthi singene esigabeni samaqoqo kwiChampions League, ngakho lo mphumela awemukelekile. Kumele mina njengomqeqeshi ngivume ukusolwa futhi kumele sizibuze imibuzo ngokuzinikela kwethu kulo mqhudelwano, ngoba bekungekuhle.”
IGalaxy iqeqeshwa wuMorena Ramoreboli obukeka eneqhinga lokugoba iPirates kwazise nguyena owayengumqeqeshi weMaluti FET College eyayidlala kwiVodacom League (ABC Motsepe League) ibhaxabula leli qembu laseSoweto ngo 4-1 kwiNedbank Cup ngo-2013.
Ukuphuma kweZimnyama ekuseni kwiChampions League sekukhomba ukuthi sekufanele zigxile ngokuphelele ekulweleni isicoco seDStv Premiership kanye nokuvikela isicoco seMTN 8, njengoba ziyodudulana neMamelodi Sundowns ngoMgqibelo ozayo, eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini.