UNOZINTI nokaputeni weStellenbosch FC, uSage Stephens, uyalethemba ithimba labaqeqeshi bezakhe ukuthi lizokwazi ukuqhamuka namaqhinga azobasiza ukumelana nemidlalo yePremier Soccer League kanjalo neyeCaf Confederation Cup.
IStellies ingelinye lamaqembu asayiqale kahle isizini ka-2024/2025 njengoba ikwazile ukuzifaka kowamanqamu eMTN8, ehlulwe kuwona i-Orlando Pirates ngempelasonto edlule, yangena nakweyamaqoqo yeConfed Cup.
Kukhona neCarling Black Label Knockout abaqhathwe kuyona naMaZulu FC koweLast 16, ngoLwesibili eGoli.
IStellies iyona ebe ngompetha bokuqala balo mqhudelwano obuqala ngesizini edlule, uthatha indawo yeTelkom Knockout.
Ngaphezu kwalokho leli qembu laseKapa kumele ligxilise imiqondo yalo nasemidlalweni yeBetway Premiership, okuyinto eliqalayo ukubhekana nayo, ukuba semiqhudelwaneni ehlukene ngesikhathi esisodwa.
Eqoqweni leConfederation Cup ngoMsombuluko, iStellies iqhathwe neStade Malian yaseMali, i-Lunda Sul yase-Angola, neRSB Berkane yaseMorocco kuGroup B.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi umqeqeshi uSteve (Barker) nethimba lakhe bawenzile umsebenzi wabo ngokuthola abadlali abanjengoMojela (Lehlohonolo) noSanele (Barns) asebekhombise umehluko eqenjini ngokushesha. Kusazobonakala ukuthi sinesikwati esiqine ngokwanele yini ukumelana nayo yonke imidlalo yakule sizini esisazoyidlala okubalwa eyeligi, eyemikhumulajezi neyeCaf Confederation. Nokho siyamethemba umqeqeshi ekuqhamukeni neqhinga ekuvaleni izikhala lapho okudingeka khona ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.
Okuhle nje ukuthi indlela esidlala ngayo ayikhombisi ukuthi bakhona abadlali abasishiyile ngoba bonke abadlali abanikwa ithuba bakhombisa ukuzimisela nokuzinikela ekutholeleni iqembu imiphumela emihle,” kusho uStephens.
Uthe sebekudlulisile ukuphoxeka ngokushweba isicoco seMTN8.
“Okokushaywa kwethu yiPirates sesikudlulisile, ngeke kusisize ngalutho ukugxila kulokho. Manje sesigxile kweminye imiqhudelwano okubalwa nawo lo weCarling esizolwela ukwenza kahle kuwo njengoba senza ngesizini edlule siwunqoba.”
Ebuzwa ngokuhoxiswa kukazakwabo, uJayden Adams, muva nje eqenjini lesizwe i iBafana Bafana ngezinsolo zokungaziphathi kahle, uthe: “Ngeke ngikwazi ukuphawula ngalokho kodwa engingakusho ukuthi uma ungumdlali uthole ithuba lokubizwa eqenjini lesizwe kufanele ulisebenzise uveze ikhono lakho.”