UKUSHUBA kombango wejezi kwi-Orlando Pirates kungesinye sezinongo ezizokwenza amaqembu adlala kwiDStv Premiership abikelwe uma kufanele abhekane neZimnyama.
Izovula isizini entsha ngokuvakashela iStellenbosch FC ngoMgqibelo, ngo-8 ebusuku, eDanie Craven Stadium.
Lona umbono kaJose Riveiro, ongumqeqeshi wePirates awusho kwabezindaba ngeledlule ngesikhathi ekhuluma ekomkhulu lakwaMultiChoise, eRandburg, lapho bekwethulwa ngokusemthethweni isizini ka-2023/2024.
Kuningi okujabulisa inhliziyo uRiveiro ozobe eqala isizini yakhe yesibili eNingizimu Afrika.
Phakathi kwezinongo lo mqeqeshi athi zizokwenza iPirates ibengcono kuneyangesizini edlule, ubalule umbango wejezi wase elandelisa ngabakufunde ohambeni lwabo lwakamuva lwaseSpain.
Abadlali abasha bePirates kukhona uMelusi Buthelezi obekwi-TS Galaxy, Siphelo Baloni obekwi-All Stars FC (Motsepe Foundation Championship), Katlego Otladisa weMarumo Gallants edliwe izembe, Patrick Maswanganyi obekwiSuperSport United, Siphamandla Gumede weDondol Stars, Lesedi Kapinga obekwiMamelodi Sundowns noKarim Kimvuidi obedlalela iMaritzburg United.
“Sizozama ukuba iphela endlebeni kuwona wonke amaqembu esizobhekana nawo kule sizini ezoqala ngoba ukushuba kombango wejezi kwiPirates kuzodala ukuthi lokhu kuzenzekele,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Iqiniso ukuthi siyiqembu elingcono kunaleli ebesiyilona ezinyangeni ezedlule kodwa ukukusho ngomlomo kuphela lokhu ngaphandle kokukhombisa enkundleni kufana nesifiso nje kuphela.
“Liqine ngayo yonke indlela ongayicabanga iqembu lami ngoba nginabadlali abangu-38 abaseqophelweni elithi alifane ncamashi.
“Yebo, lokhu kungiphathisa ngekhanda kodwa ukwazi ukuthi ngingabiza noma imuphi umdlali afike anginike okungcono enkundleni kwenza ngikholwe ukuthi ngenxa yombango wejezi, sizokuba inkinga kumaqembu esizodlala nawo,” kuqhuba lo mqeqeshi.
Ngaphandle kokuqeda endaweni yesibili kwi-log okuhamba nomklomelo wokudlala kwiCaf Champions League ngesizini ezoqala, uRiveiro ufake i-MTN 8 neNedbank Cup ekhabetheni lezinkomishi leBucs.
“Kuzobalula okuningi kwisizini yami yesibili ngoba sesazana kangcono okusho ukuthi isikhathi esiningi sesizosisebenzisa sikhulisana nabadlali ngokwamaqhinga kuphela.
“Kungijabulisile engikubone eSpain ngoba abadlali abaningi bazithole bebhekene nezinkinga abangazijwayele kodwa bakwazi ukuzimela.
“Lokhu kuzosisiza kule szizini ngoba ngaphandle kokuthi sizokuba nemidlalo eminingi kunejwayelekile. Cishe mane amaqembu azobe ebanga isicoco kulokhu okufakazelwa indlela (wonke amanye aqinisa ngayo njengoba kuvuleke iwindi lokushintshana ngabadlali),” kuphetha uRiveiro.