IMAMELODI Sundowns isenesilonda sokuphuma kowandulela owamanqamu weMTN8 ngesizini edlule ikhishwa yi-Orlando Pirates kowandulela owamanqamu.
Lokhu kuyiphazamise ngesikhathi izama ukuguqula umuzwa wabalandeli nangaphakathi eqenjini ngendlela obukwa ngayo lo mqhudelwano ohamba nentshontsho lika-R8 million.
Lokhu kuvele enkulumeni kaRhulani Mokwena, ongumqeqeshi weSundowns, emcimbini wokuvula lo mqhudelwano.
Ezakhe zizogadulisana neMoroka Swallows, kaSteve Komphela, ngoMgqibelo ngo-3 ntambama, eLucas Moripe Stadium.
Kusukela lo mqhudelwano wasungulwa ngo-1972, iSundowns isawunqobe kathathu kuphela yize kweminye izenzela kuyona okufakazelwa ukuthi kule sizini yeDStv Premiership, ivikela isicoco okwehlandla lesikhombisa kulandelana.
Eminyakeni edlule bekunomuzwa wokuthi iSundowns ayiwunaki lo mqhudelwano kwaze kwaba iyawunqoba kwiCape Town City ngo-2021.
Ngesizini edlule ngokukaMokwena, ibinesifiso sokuqhubeka nokukhonya kuwona ukuze kuvaleke lo muzwa okubukeka sengathi iSundowns inawo uma kuza kwiMTN8.
Emcimbini wokwethula i-MTN8 ngokusemthethweni izolo ntambama, eGoli, uMokwena ukhulume njengomuntu okusenesilonda kuyena ngendlela iPirates ebakhiphe ngayo ngesizini edlule.
“Kuphoxile ukuthi ngesizini edlule asibenzanga ubulungiswa njengeqemu ebelivikela isicoco kodwa nali elinye ithuba lokufaka wonke umfutho esinawo ukuthi ibuyele kithina inkomishi,” kusho uMokwena kulo mcimbi obuvezwa bukhoma kwiSuperSport.
“KwiSundowns eminyakeni edlule bekunalo muzwa wokuthi i-MTN8 umqhudelwano wokuzilungiselela ukuqala kwesizini manje sisembhidlangweni wokufaka umqondo wokuthi zonke izinkomishi ezibekwa phambi kwethu siyazilwela.
“Siyafisa ukukhonya kwiMTN8 kodwa futhi kufanele sikwamukele ukuthi kuzothatha isikhathi ukuthi sikufake ezinhliziyweni zabadlali beSundowns, abalandeli nabaphathi lokho,” kusho yena.
Uthe ulindele umdlalo onzima kwiSwallows eqeqeshwa umuntu obazi ukusuka nokuhlala. UKomphela ubeyiphini lakhe kwiSundowns ngesizini edlule.
“Akuyena uKomphela yedwa kodwa kuningi ebesixhumene nakho osekukwiSwallows ngakho-ke asingabazi ukuthi umdlalo uzobanzima,” kusho yena.
Emuva kokunqoba kwiChiefs, uMokwena ukhononde ngokuthile esithangamini nabezindaba.
Yize iSundowns iyinqobe yomibili imidlalo yokuqala yeligi kodwa akuzibeki ukuthi ayikafiki kuleli giya eyaziwa ngalo lokuqotha.
Iwini ka 2-1 kwiSekhukhune United ngeledlule neyomphumela ofanayo kwiChiefs ngoLwesithathu, ayimhleli kahle uMokwena uma kuzoya ngendlela abekhuluma ngayo esithangamini nabezindaba emuva komdlalo.
“Sizoba nenkinga uma sizoqhubeka nokushiya umnyango uvulekile ukuthi izitha zivuke noma sesiqedile ngazo,” usho kanje ngoLwesithathu ebusuku.