AKUZANGE kumdikibalise ukuqala kwe-Orlando Pirates ngendlela ephambene nale abeyifisa kwiDStv Premiership umqeqeshi wayo, uJose Riveiro, yingakho engasiboni isidingo sokuxhanyazeliswa amaphuzu angu-17 iMamelodi Sundowns eshiya ngawo ezakhe kwi-log.
Ngaphambi kokuqala kwesizini ka-2023/2024, iPirates ibithishwe njengelinye lamaqembu azodlisela ogageni iSundowns esiyiphendule iligi yama-amesha i-Premiership ngokuyibhubhudla amahlandla ayisithupha elandelana.
Ukulahla kwePirates amaphuzu emdlalweni wokuqala wesizini ekuhambeni kwiStellenbosch FC, kwenze abaningi babuwubuyekeza lo mbono wokubhincisela nxanye iSundowns embangweni wesicoco.
Emidlalweni yokuqala emihlanu yeligi, iPirates isawine emibili kuphela, yashaywa kwemibili yase idlala ngokulingana kowodwa.
Komunye wale midlalo eshaywe kuyona, ibibhekene nayo iSundowns.
Yize iBucs isele ngemidlalo emithathu kwiSundowns, kufanele ngabe liyamethusa uRiveiro igebe eselivele likhona kodwa lo mqeqeshi waseSpain, utshele abezindaba ngeledlule ukuthi akasiboni isidingo sokuxhamazela ngoba kusesekuseni.
URiveiro osanda kuvikela isicoco seMTN 8 (ngokunqoba kwiSundowns kowamanqamu), ukholelwa ekutheni uma iPirates ingawina le midlalo yeligi esele ngayo, ungabuya umgqigqo wayo wokuqoqa amaphuzu imidlalo ilandelana njengoba yenzile sekuyophela isizini edlule.
“Sisibhekile isicoco seligi, lokho akufihliwe kodwa futhi sisadlale amahlandla amahlanu kuphela kweyeligi,” kusho uRiveiro emcimbini wokuqhathwa kweCarling Black Label Knockout muva nje.
IPirates izokwamukela iCape Town Spurs kowe-Last 16 yeCarling KO ngoLwesihlanu ngo-7.30 ebusuku, e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
“Kusafanele sidlale imidlalo esisele ngayo kuqala ngethemba lokuthi sizoyiwina yonke okuyinto engaziyo ukuthi sinawo amava okuyenza.
“Ukushaywa kabili emidlalweni yokuqala emihlanu yesizini akuyona into okulula ukuyamukela ingakho siyalivuma iphutha lethu ngenhloso yokulilungisa ngokushesha.
“Angiboni kuwumqondo ophusile ukuzixaka ngokuthi sisele kangakanani kwabanye ngoba sisadlale emihlanu kuphela kodwa futhi akumnandi ukulahla amaphuzu.
“Okwenza kungabi mnandi ukuthi kwesinye isikhathi ngisala ngingaqondi ukuthi siwalahle kanjani ingakho ngikhulekela ukuthi kule midlalo esisele ngayo siqale umgqigqo othi awufane nalo ebesihamba ngawo esiwombeni sesibili sesizini edlule,” kuqhuba yena.
“Kuliqiniso ukuthi sihlalelwe umsebenzi onzima uma sifuna ukufeza isidingo zethu ngesicoco kodwa sisekhona isikhathi sokuyicubungulisisa kahle imidlalo yethu sikhule lapho kufanele sikhule khona njengeqembu,” kuphetha uRiveiro.
IPirates izobuyela kweyeligi ngokubhekana naMaZulu FC, eMoses Mabhida Stadium ngo-Okthoba 24, eMoses Mabhida Stadium.