SITHEMBISO MKHIZE
NAKUBA kumthokozisa umqeqeshi we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, ukusonga iligi besendaweni yesibili kwiDStv Premiership kodwa alimthokozisi igebe iMamelodi Sundowns enqobe isicoco seligi ibashiya ngalo.
EZimnyama zihlulekile ukunqoba umdlalo wokugcina kodwa okuzithokozisayo ukuthi ziqede endaweni yesibili.
Ukusonga kule ndawo kuzinike ithikithi lokudlala kwiCaf Champions League ngesizini ezayo.
Kowokugcina zibambane ngo-1-1 neSuperSport United ehlale iyiphela endlebeni kuzo.
Igoli layo livalelwe enethini uTshegofatso Mabasa okugcine kunguye umshayi magoli ovelele kwiDStvPremiership. Uzihole phambili ngawu-16. Uhlule u-Iqraam Rayners weStellenbosch okwaze ukushaya awu-15.
EleSuperSport linamathiselwe enethini uGape Moralo. IPirates ivale iligi ngamaphuzu awu-50. ISundowns ivale iligi ngamaphutu awu-73. Lokhu kusho ukuthi AmaBrazilians aqede ngegebe lamaphuzu ka-23 kwiPirates.
Bekungokwesikhombisa iSundowns inqoba isicoco seligi kulandelana.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, Amatsatsantsa a Pitori, asonge kweyesikhombisa, ngamaphuzu awu-awu-44.
INgemuva kwalo mdlalo iningi labalandeli beZimnyama belijabule ngendlela eyisimanga ngenxa yokuthola ithikithi leChampions League. Ezinkundleni zokuxhumana bakhona abebengeneme ngomphumela wangempelasonto edlule, bezeseka ngokuthi iPirates bekumele inqobe.
URiveiro uthe nakuba elijabulela iphuzu abalitholile kodwa akwamukelekile ukuthi iqembu elisonge liphezulu liqede livule igebe elingaka.
"Sibukeka njengabantu abakuthathe kancane ukulwela indawo yeChampions League. Kanjalo, akusijabuleli ukuhlala kule ndawo, asithokozisiwe ukuya e-Afrika. Yebo siyaya e-Afrika kodwa angeneme. Noma kungathiwani, akukuhle ukuthi iqembu okusongwe lingompetha beligi liqede lisishiya ngamaphuzu awu-23.
“Akumele le nto iphinde yenzeke. Kuzomele ngokuzayo silehlise leli gebe noma siliqede nya ngalo. Noma ngabe kunqoba liphi iqembu kumele ingaphinde yenzeke le nto," kubeka uRiveiro.
Uqhube wathi: "Ngiphinda ngiyakuvuma ukuthi kusamele sibhukule. Izinga kule ligi lenyuke kakhulu. Kule sizini besilwa neqembu ebelinzima kakhulu. Nathi ngabe senze kahle ngokuba lapha. Le midlalo emibili edlule beyinzima kakhulu. Kunjalo, akubanga kuhle ukuqeda kule ndawo, sishiywa ngala maphuzu.“
NgoMgqibelo, eZimnyama zizobhekana neSundowns, ngo-3 ntambama eMbombela Stadium kowamanqamu eNedbank Cup.