UMQEQESHI weMamelodi Sundowns, uRhulani Mokwena, uyayiphika eyokuthi lehlile izinga leqembu lakhe kwi-DStv Premiership kusukela lathola isicoco sesithupha kulandelana.
AmaSandawana asedlale imidlalo emibili yeligi selokhu aqinisekiswa njengompetha besizini ka-2022/23. Adlale ngokulingana ngo 0-0 neCape Town City ekhaya ngeledlule kwathi ngeSonto ntambama aphinde abambana neSwallows FC ngo 0-0 ekuhambeni.
ISundowns iqhwakele ngamaphuzu angu-61 emidlalweni engu-25. UMokwena uthe imiphumela yakamuva ayisho ukuthi abazimiseli emidlalweni.
"Angivumelani nhlobo nalokho. Le midlalo ibinzima kakhulu. Ibinzima ngoba ebholeni udinga izimo eziningi ukuze umdlalo ushise. Udinga izimbangi ezizoba nomfutho. Kulo mdlalo besibhekene neqembu ebelihlose ukuhlala emuva ligcine iphuzu ekhaya,” kusho uMokwena ngemuva komdlalo weSwallows elwela ukuvika izembe.
IZinyoni zihleli endaweni ka-13 kwi-log ngamaphuzu angu-28. Zihlukaniswe amaphuzu amane neqembu elisemsileni, iMaritzburg United, enamaphuzu angu-24.
"Kudingeka nenkundla esesimeni esihle ukuze ibhola lihambe kahle, le nkundla (Dobsonville) ibiyomile futhi inezindawo ezingaqondile nokwenze ibhola langahamba kahle. Yithina ebesilawula umdlalo futhi ngicabanga ukuthi sikwenza kahle lokho.
"Sakhe inqwaba yamathuba, besihlasela. Besazi ukuthi bazosebenzisa amabhola amade ngakho bekumqoka ukuthi awele ngakithina. Sikwazile ukukhonya uma kubangwa amabhola. Engingakusho ukuthi uma iSundowns isaholwa yimi awukho umdlalo esingeke sizimisele kuwona noma siwulwele.”
ISundowns iqhathwe neCR Belouizdad kuma-quarterfinal eCaf Champions League. UMokwena uthe ulindele imidlalo enzima uma sebebhekene naleli qembu lase-Algeria kodwa okwamanje basagxile emdlalweni olandelayo weligi.
Bazobhekana neLamontville Golden Arrows ePrincess Magogo Stadium kusasa ngo-7.30 ebusuku.
Ngemuva kwalokho bazotholana neStellenbosch FC kuma-quarterfinal eNedbank Cup, neRichards Bay koweligi ngaphambi kokudlulela e-Algeria beyoqhuthana neBelouizdad ngo-Ephreli 21.
“Iso elilodwa libheke emdlalweni olandelayo weCaf Champions League kodwa kufanele sizame ukudlula lesi sikhathi esikusona kwiligi. Sesihambe isikhathi eside manje singawini. Kufanele siyinqobe iGolden Arrows. Yilokho esigxile kukhona manje,” kusho uMokwena.
"Kuzoba nzima ukudlala nabo futhi akulula ukuya e-Algeria. Badlala kahle kakhulu, isitayela sabo asihlukile kakhulu kweseSundowns.
"Benza kahle kwiligi yabo yasekhaya, abakaze bahlulwe futhi basesicongweni kwi-log. Kuzoba wumdlalo onzima futhi siyakwazi lokho," kuphetha lo mqeqeshi.