UMQEQESHI we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, usephumele obala ngokungakholelwa kwakhe ekushintsheni isikimu phezu kokuba leli qembu kubukeka lisethubeni lokuhamba ibanga elide emqhudelwaneni weCaf Champions League futhi lisembangweni wesicoco seligi yeBetway Premiership.
URiveiro ubekhuluma ngemuva kokuxebula iStade d’Abidjan yase-Ivory Coast ngo 3-0 emdlalweni wesine wesigaba samaqoqo kuGroup C ngoMgqibelo, e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto. Ngalokhu, iPirates izibeke ethubeni elihle lokwedlulela kuma-quarterfinal eChampions League.
IPirates izihola phambili kuGroup C ngamaphuzu ayisishiyagalombili. Isidinga ukwehlula i-CR Belouizdad yase-Algeria ngeSonto e-Orlando Stadium ukuqinisekisa indawo kuma-quarterfinal. Ngaphambi kwalokho, iPirates izobhekana neCape Town City kweligi ngoLwesithathu, eKapa.
URiveiro uthe akayingeni eyokushintsha isikimu ngokwehlukana kwemiqhudelwano abayidlalayo. Le nkulumo akubuzwa ukuthi ilahlisa ithemba kubadlali abasizwa ngendaba isikimu kwiPirates okukhona kubona uMiguel Timm, Zakhele Lepasa, Bandile Shandu obuya ekulimaleli.
“Umgqigqo ubalulekile, ikakhulukazi kulesi sigaba somqhudelwano. Ngakho kuningi okudingeka siqhubeke nokukwenza singalahli umgqigqo wethu, njengokucija abadlali ukuthi balungele ukudlala imidlalo emithathu ilandelana ngesikhathi esifishane. Lokho kuyisinqumo sami njengomqeqeshi ukuthi yimuphi umdlali okufanele adlale umdlalo othize. Sengikusho kaningi ukuthi angikholelwa ekushintsheni isikimu. Njengokuthi sibe namaqembu amabili; elinye lidlale emqhudelwaneni othile, elinye lidlale komunye. Ngeke kusebenze lokho, futhi akukaze kusebenze ndawo,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Sizama ngayo yonke indlela ukugcina iqembu nesisekelo salo. Sinazo izinsiza kusebenza singabaqeqeshi ezisisiza ekuboneni umdlali osekhathele osedinga ukuphunyuzwa, angaze alimale, ngenxa yokudlala imidlalo emithathu ezinsukwini eziyisishiyagalombili. Ngakho sinabadlali abaningi esingakwazi ukuqoka kubona ngenxa yokuthi asinabo abaningi abalimele, kanti abanye sebeluleleme futhi sebekulungele ukudlala. Kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu wukuba nabadlali abazinikele ukulwela iqembu ngaso sonke isikhathi uma benikwa ithuba enkundleni, kunanoma yimuphi umqhudelwano esiwudlalayo.”
Ngaphandle kokwenza kahle kwiChampions League, eZimnyama zisehlulwe kanye kwiPremiership. Zisendaweni yesibili kwi-log ngamaphuzu angu-27 ngemuva kweMamelodi Sundowns ehlezi phezulu ngawu-30.
Ukunqoba kwazo kwiCape Town City kungazibeka esicongweni se-log, zigudluze iSundowns engeke idlale umdlalo weligi kuleli sonto.