UPHUMELE obala ngezifiso zakhe zokuhamba aze afike ekugcineni kwiMTN 8, uJose Riveiro, ongumqeqeshi we-Orlando Pirates eqhathwe nezibonkolo zeMamelodi Sundowns okuyiyona evikela isicoco salo mqhudelwano onentshontsho likaR8 million.
IPirates ekhale yemuka nesicoco seMTN 8 ngo-2020, ngoMsombuluko, itonyulwe neSundowns engompetha bangesizini edlule, kowandulela owamanqamu ozodlalwa imilenze emibili ngo-Okthoba, ngezinsuku nasezinkundleni ezisazomenyezelwa yi-Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Ngaphandle kokuthi kuzobe kuhlangene amaqembu amabili okuyiwona adle isicoco seMTN 8 kumasizini amabili adlule, kubathandi bakanobhutshuzwayo, kukhona ababona la maqembu kuyiwona futhi azobe ebanga isicoco seligi kule sizini.
“Nakuba kusazodlula inyanga ngaphambi kokuthi la maqembu abhekane, angingabazi ukuthi kuzoba wumdlalo onzima kuwona womabili,” kusho uRiveiro ethimbeni labezindaba lePirates kulandela ukuqhathwa kwabo.
“Ngenxa yesikhathi, kuzobanzima ukuwakala la maqembu ukuthi kuzofika le midlalo emibili ekuliphi izinga uma uzobheka nezinto ezithinta ukulimala kwabadlali kanjalo nesimo nje, la maqembu azobe ekusona ngaleso sikhathi.
“Engingakungabazi ukuthi abalandeli bazobhema bakholwe ngoba ibhola elizobe lidlalwa lapha lizobe lingelihlabahlosile.
“Uhlobo lwabadlali olukhona nhlangothi zombili luseqophelweni eliphezulu ngakho-ke kuzobe kuyindumezulu nakanjani,” kuqhuba uRiveiro.
Ngokwalo mqeqeshi, kungase kucace kowomlenze wesibili ukuthi ubani ozodlulela kowamanqamu.
“Ngibona kuzoba umdlalo onzima nhlangothi zombili yize ngithandazela amagoli. Okucishe kungikhanyele ukuthi umlenze wesibili yiwona ozocacisa okuningi.
“Sikhuthazekile (siyiPirates), ngokulihamba lonke ibanga kwiMTN 8 yize sikuqonda ukuthi kweyandulela eyamanqamu, kusuke sekusele amaqembu alukhuni wodwa vele.
“Sitonyulwe nelinzima kakhulu kulokhu kodwa asingabazi ukuthi ngosuku lo mdlalo, sizobe silindile futhi silungile,” kusonga uRiveiro.
NgeSonto, iPirates izobuyela kweyeligi lapho imelwe khona ukuwaqoqa egcwele kwiMaritzburg United, eHarry Gwala Stadium, eMgungundlovu, uma izimisele ngokuqhubeka nokuqhwakela.
UManqoba Mngqithi uhambe emazwini kaRiveiro ngokuthi alisekho iqembu elilula elisele kwiMTN 8.
“Bekuvele kungeke kubekhona iqembu okungcono ukutomula lona kunelinye ngoba womane lawa asele enza kahle kulezi zinsuku kwiligi,” kusho yena ethimbeni le’Downs labezindaba.
“Okufanele sikwenze ukwamukela ukuthi sibhekene nePirates bese sithembela kulokhu esizama ukukwenza njengeqembu.
“Engingakungabazi ukuthi iSundowns inawo amava okuvikela isicoco sayo ngakho-ke sizokwenza konke okusemandleni ukwenza lokho.
“Sizohambisa phambili inhlonipho ezitheni zethu kwazise kucacile kule sizini ukuthi wonke amaqembu awakhuphule kakhulu amasokisi,” kusho uMngqithi.