INHLOKO yabaqeqeshi kwi-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, ibona abadlali ebafake esiwombeni sesibili njengesibonelo nokhiye ongavulela leli qembu amasango empini elikuyona yombango wegunya lokumela iPremier Soccer League (PSL) emidlalweni yeCaf ngesizini ezayo.
IPirates ithole amaphuzu amathathu amqoka inqoba AmaZulu FC ngo 1-0 wegoli likaTshegofatso Mabasa emdlalweni weDStv Premiership, e-Orlando Stadium ngoMgqibelo ebusuku.
Isembangweni oshubile wokuba yiqembu elizohamba neMamelodi Sundowns kwiCaf Champions League ngesizini ezayo. ISundowns iyona ezihola phambili kwi-log futhi akubonakali kukhona iqembu elisangayifica ngamaphuzu. Inegebe lamaphuzu awu-13 phakathi kwayo neZimnyama ezinamaphuzu awu-40.
Amanye amaqembu abanga nePirates ukuqeda endaweni yesibili, iStellenbosch, Sekhukhune United, SuperSport United neTS Galaxy. Iqembu elizoqeda endaweni yesithathu lizothola igunya lokudlala kwiCaf Confederation Cup.
Nakuba iPirates isenayo intuba yokungena kwiConfederation Cup ngokuvikela isicoco seNedbank Cup kodwa uRiveiro umile ekutheni ufuna ukudlala kwiChampions League ngesizini ezayo.
Kudingeke ukuthi uRiveiro abheke ebhentshini ukuze awaqoqe egcwele ngoMgqibelo ebusuku kwazise Usuthu belulwa yize luqale ukudlala lungasaphelele ngomzuzu ka-20 okukhishwe ngawo, u-Abbubaker Mobara, ngekhadi elibomvu.
Ngokusho kukaRiveiro ngesikhathi ekhuluma esithangamini nabezindaba, umdlalo ubunzima kodwa ukungena kukaMonnapule Saleng noKarim Kimvuidi, ikhona okube ukhiye.
“Besibhekene neqembu elinzima kodwa ekube lukhuni kakhulu ukudlala nalo ngesikhathi lingasaphelele kwazise bonke abadlali (balo) bese bewufaka nakakhulu umfutho,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Ngokuhamba komdlalo, AmaZulu agcine ebona kuzobangcono kuwona uma ethola iphuzu ekuhambeni okuwenze aqala ahlehla.
“Lokhu bekwenzela thina umsebenzi ube lukhuni kakhulu kodwa ukungena kukaSaleng noKimvuidi kuzijikile izinto, saqala saba ingozi.
“Bobabili banekhono lokwenza izinto zisheshe ikakhulukazi uma kuziwa ngasekuqondeni izitobha,” kuqhuba yena.
Inkulumo kaRiveiro bekuzwakala sengathi uyibhekise kubadlali bakhe abadlalayo nalaba abeqiwa ijezi.
“Isikhathi sesizini esikusona siphoqa ukuthi ibhentshi lifane nabaqale umdlalo ngakho-ke indlela uSaleng noKimvuidi abangene benza ngayo ngiyafisa ikhumbuze nabanye ukuthi ithuba likhona uma uzolisebenzisa.
“Bonke abadlali banethuba kwiPirates kodwa kuqala isibalo esithile. Okwenziwe uSaleng noKimvuidi ngiyathemba kukhombise nabanye ukuthi kwenziwa njani uma iqembu likudinga.
“Sisembangweni wokuqeda endaweni yesibili ngakho-ke uma bonke abadlali bengasika iphethini kulokhu okuhle okusiwinise kuMaZulu kunzima, nakanjani singalifeza iphupho lethu,” kuphetha uRiveiro.
Umdlalo wePirates weligi olandelayo usekuhambeni ngeSonto lapho izovakashela iRoyal AM, eHarry Gwala Stadium, eMgungundlovu.