UBONGE ithuba eliyivelakancane lokuhlala isikhathi eside eqenjini elikhulu njenge-Orlando Pirates umqeqeshi waleli qembu, uJose Riveiro.
NgoLwesibili ebusuku, lo mqeqeshi uhole Ezimnyama emdlalweni ka-120 kusukela afika kuzona ekuqaleni kwesizini ka-2022/23. Leli yirekhodi elisha kwezikaMagebhula selokhu kwasungulwa iPremier Soccer League ngo-1996.
Uphule irekhodi ebeliphethwe ngumqeqeshi waseNetherlands, uRuud Krol, owahola iPirates emidlalweni engu-119 kusukela ngo-2008 kuya ku-2011.
URiveiro wafika kuleli ekuqaleni kwesizini ka-2022/23 engaziwa, esuka kwi-Inter Turku, edlala kwiligi enganakekile yaseFinland, nokwenza iningi labahlaziyi nabalandeli bawangabaze amagalelo akhe.
Akuthathanga isikhathi eside ukuthi azazise kubalandeli ngokudla isicoco seMTN 8 isizini isanda kuqala, ezakhe ziguqisa AmaZulu ngo 1-0 kowamanqamu.
Le ndebe useyenze eyakhe njengoba eseyinqobe amahlandla amathathu elandelana, waphinde wengeza nezimbili zeNedbank Cup. Izicoco zasekhaya ezisamphikile eseligi neseCarling Knockout Cup.
UKrol, ongatholanga zindebe kuma sizini akhe amabili okuqala naleli qembu lase-Orlando, wavalelisa kahle ewola iMTN 8, Nedbank Cup nendebe yeligi ngesizini yakhe yokugcina.
“Sesihambe uhambo olude. Lokhu kuyinombolo nje kodwa iyakhombisa izinga lokuzimisela nokuzinikela kuze kube sifika lapha,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Ngeke ngisho ukuthi ngiyaziqhenya ngalokhu engikwenzile ngoba angisebenzi ngedwa. Akuyona into ejwayelekile ukuthi abaqeqeshi bahlale eqenjini kuze kuhlangane imidlalo engu-120. Sengizoqeda isizini yami yesithathu kwiPirates. Kumele ngibabonge abaphathi ngokungibekezelela nabaqeqeshi engibambisene nabo.
“Iqembu liyathuthuka unyaka nonyaka, sisaqhubeka nalo msebenzi esizama ukuwufeza. Njengamanje angikwazi ukuchaza ukuthi isho ukuthini le midlalo engu-120 kodwa sisaqhubeka.”
URiveiro akazange aligubhe kahle leli rekhodi njengoba ezakhe zibanjwe yiStellenbosch FC ngo 0-0 emdlalweni weBetway Premiership obuse-Athlone Stadium, eKapa.
Lo mphumela ushiye amaBhakabhaka endaweni yesibili ngamaphuzu angu-40 emidlalweni engu-18. Asesele ngamaphuzu angu-18 eqenjini eliqhwakele, iMamelodi Sundowns, eseliqoqe angu-58 emidlalweni engu-22.
Njengoba la maqembu ezotholana phezulu eFNB Stadium, eNasrec, ngeSonto ntambama, bekungakuhle ukuthi iPirates izinike ithemba lokubhekana nalo mdlalo neminye ezolandela ngokuqoqa amaphuzu aphelele.
Njengoba kungenzekanga, aphinde ehla amathuba okuthi ingaqeda ukukhonya kweSundowns kwiligi yakuleli.
“Kusobala ukuthi sifuna ukunqoba yonke imidlalo kodwa iStellenbosch yiqembu okunzima ukudlala nalo. Leli yiqembu elisendaweni yesithathu kwi-log futhi elizodlala kuma-quarterfinal komunye wemiqhudelwano emikhulu kuleli zwekazi,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Ngokujwayelekile besingalijabulela leli phuzu kodwa uma sibheka isimo esikusona kusobala ukuthi akubanga umphumela omuhle,” kuphetha yena.