PHEZU kokuthi i-Orlando Pirates isilahle inqwaba yamaphuzu kwiDStv Premiership kule sizini, umqeqeshi wayo, uJose Riveiro uthi ukwazi kahle akwenza kuleli qembu laseSoweto.
Lo mqeqeshi odabuka eSpain, uzandisele ugazi kubabalandeli beZimnyama ngesikhathi esiza leli qembu linqobe indebe yeMTN 8 ngo-Okthoba, lihlula iMamelodi Sundowns kowamanqamu.
Bekuyisicoco sakhe sesithathu kuleli qembu kusukela ethathe izintambo ekuqaleni kwesizini ka-2022/23. Ngesizini edlule, uvule ngeMTN 8 waphinde wathatha neNedbank Cup.
Nokho kubukeka engathi isasasa lokuvikela IMTN8 lisheshe lashabalala kwabanye abalandeli bezikaMagebhula abakhathazekile ngefomu yaleli qembu kuDStv Premiership, okuyisicoco abagcina ukusinqoba ngesizini ka-2011/12.
AmaBhakabhaka asendaweni yesithupha kwi-log ngamaphuzu angu-19 emidlalweni engu-12. Yize kungakaqedwa nengxenye yemidlalo yeligi kodwa selilikhulu igebe phakathi kwawo neqembu elizihola phambili, iMamelodi Sundowns, eseliqoqe amaphuzu angu-30 emidlalweni engu-10.
Ebuzwa ngengcindezi yokuzama ukubamba amaBrazilians, uRiveiro uthe bagxile kakhulu ekufikeni lapho befuna ukuba khona futhi ngeke balivimbe bodwa leli qembu.
“Kunzima kodwa asihlezi sicabanga ngokubamba iSundowns ngoba kungenzeka kube ngelinye iqembu elihamba phambili kwi-log. Sifuna ukuba phezulu kuyona yonke imiqhudelwano, yilokho esifuna ukukuzuza ngaphandle kokubheka ukuthi yiliphi iqembu elihamba phambili,” kusho uRiveiro kwabezindaba ngoLwesine.
“Ingcindezi ngiyayizwa uma ngingazi ukuthi ngenzani, kunoma yini engiyenzayo empilweni. Uma ngazi ukuthi ngenzani, angibinayo ingcindezi. Leyo yindlela esiqhuba ngayo njengeqembu, hhayi mina ngedwa njengomqeqeshi. Siyakwazi esikwenzayo, siyakwazi esifuna ukukuzuza, ngakho-ke akukho ngcindezi.
“Siyazama ukudlala kahle kodwa ngeke sikwazi ukulawula yonke imiphumela yemidlalo, singakwazi ukulawula izinga lomdlalo wethu kuphela. Akukho futhi esingakwenza ngeqembu elihamba phambili ngamaphuzu angu-30 emidlalweni engu-10, yinto engajwayelekile leyo.
"Akuwona umthwalo wethu kuphela ukuthi sibavimbe. Sibhekana nabo kabili kuphela ngesizini kuligi, ekubeni inemidlalo engu-30."
IPirates isizobheka ukwenyusa isibalo samaphuzu ayo uma isidlala olandelayo weligi neTS Galaxy e-Orlando Stadium kusasa ngo-8 ebusuku.
IRockets iguqise iPolokwane City ngo 3-0 emdlalweni wayo wokugcina weligi kanti kowakamuva owandulela owamanqamu weCarling Black Label Knockout ishaye AmaZulu ngo 3-2.
NgoLwesibili, iPirates ihlule iMoroka Swallows ngo 2-0 koweligi.
URiveiro uthe ngeke kubasize ukukhathazeka ngosekwenzekile noma ukucabanga ngezinto eziningi ezisazokwenzeka kodwa abakufunayo wukuqoqa amaphuzu agcwele uma sebebhekene neGalaxy.
"Siyazihlonipha zonke izimbangi, akukhathalekile ukuthi zizodlala kowamanqamu noma cha. I-TS Galaxy yiqembu eseliqhube isikhathi nomqeqeshi ofanayo futhi kuyabonakala ngendlela edlala ngayo. Banamandla, ijubane, akulula ukugqobhoza udonga lwabo uma bemaka futhi bakwenza lokho umdlalo uze uyophela," usho kanje.
"Asikaze sidlale umdlalo olula neGalaxy futhi angicabangi ukuthi kuzoshintsha kulokhu. Sisesikhathini sesizini lapho kunzima ukulwela amaphuzu ngoba wonke umuntu ufuna ukuya ekhefini esendaweni enhle."
Ngesizini edlule. iPirates iyinqobe yomibili imidlalo yeligi eyidlale neGalaxy. Iyishaye ngo 2-0 e-Orlando Stadium nango 2-1 eMbombela Stadium.