Umqeqeshi we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, ubona eneqembu eliqinile nelinamava okumelana nanoma yiziphi emqhudelwaneni weCaf Champions League kule sizini.
URiveiro, osenqobele iPirates izicoco ezinhlanu zomkhumulajezi kumasizini amathathu kweZimnyama, uneselelo yokuhola leli qembu lenze ezibukwayo kwiChampions League kule sizini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uhlalelwe wukugeza igama lakhe njengoba ngesizini edlule ezakhe zaphuma ekuseni kulo mqhudelwano zikhishwa yiJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana.
IPirates esiqale kahle isigaba samaqoqo kwiChampions League, izobhekana neStade d’Abidjan yase-Ivory Coast e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto, ngoMgqibelo ngo-6 ntambama.
Emdlalweni wokuqala ngoDisemba 14, zibambane ngo 1-1 e-Abidjan.
“Sineqembu eliqinile elinamava kusukela kubaqeqeshi kuya kubadlali. Yize singakadlali isikhathi eside kulo mqhudelwano kodwa sisayibambe kahle nakuba sibhekane nobunzima emidlalweni yethu yomzuliswano wokuqala.
Umdlalo ngamunye esiwudlalayo kulo mqhudwano uyisahluko esibalulekile kithina, ikakhulukazi kubadlali bethu abasebancane.
Njengoba siyobhekana nezimbangi ezinjenge-Abidjan nje, siyakwazi esikulindele kuzona. Siyazi ukuthi ziyingozi kangakanani kuma-free kick nakuma-corner kick njengoba sabona sibhekene emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Ngakho kulo mdlalo wakusasa kuzofanele senze kangcono kakhulu, sigweme amaphutha. Ekugcineni sikwazi ukuwunqoba umdlalo, sikhombise ukuthi sineqembu elingamelana nanoma yiyiphi imbangi kulo mqhudelwano futhi sihambe ibanga elide singapheleli nje esigabeni samaqoqo.”
Nakuba iPirates iza kulo mdlalo weChampions League ibuya ekushikilisweni yiMagesi FC emdlalweni weligi egcine ngokuwunqoba ngengcuphe ka 1-0 ngeledlule kodwa uRiveiro akakholwa wukuthi lokho kungaba nomthelela koweChampions League.
“Sigijima ibanga lethu, kungakhathaleki ukuthi sibhekene nayiphi imbangi.
Kwesinye isikhathi asibi nomdlalo omuhle kodwa sigcina sikwazile ukubuya namaphuzu, ibhola linjalo nje. Umdlalo ngamunye unenselelo ehlukile, kungaba owePSL noma oweChampions League. Yingakho-ke silindele inselelo ehlukile kwi-Abidjan esizodlala nayo ekhaya phambi kwabalandeli bethu esazi kahle ukuthi bazophuma ngobuningi ukuzoseseka, silwela ukunqoba.”
EZimnyama zihlezi endaweni yesibili kwi-log kuGroup C ngamaphuzu amahlanu emuva kwemidlalo emithathu. Zilandela i-Al Ahly eseqhulwini ngayisikhombisa. Ukunqoba kwi-d’Abidjan kungazibeka ethubeni elihle lokwedlulela esigabeni sama-quarterfinal eChampions League. Emdlalweni wokuqala wesigaba samaqoqo, iPirates iguqise i-CR Belouizdad yase-Algeria ngo 2-1 ngaphambi kokubambana ngo 0-0 ne-Al Ahly.