ISITOBHA saMaZulu, uThembela Sikhakhane, sikholelwa ekutheni ukugxila ekwakheleni kokuhle abakwenze koweCarling Knockout ikona okuwukhiye wokuguqisa i-Orlando Pirates koweBetway Premiership, namuhla ngo-7.30 ebusuku, e-Orlando Stadium.
USuthu luyiqale kabi isizini ka-2024/25 njengoba lungakanqobi nowodwa umdlalo. Kwemithathu yeligi elisayidlalile, lushaywe iPolokwane City, Kaizer Chiefs neMarumo Gallants.
Lokhu kuholele ekutheni lumkhombe indlela uPablo Martin obeluqeqesha. Isikhala sakhe lusivale ngo-Arthur "10111" Zwane obengamele inkulisa yeChiefs noVusumuzi " Kanu" Vilakazi ebecija eleDStv Diski Challenge (DDC) lawo AmaZulu.
Nabo baqale kabi bewashiswa ijezi iStellenbosch koweCarling Knockout.
OweZimnyama uzoba ngowokuqala weligi ngaphansi kobuholi babo.
USikhakhane odlala emuva kwesokudla, uthe ukuhlala endaweni yokugcina kwi-log yeBetway Premiership, kuyabaphoqa ukubuya namaphuzu aphelele e-Orlando.
Lo mdlali uke waba semabhukwini eZimnyama isikhathi eside. Zimbolekise inqwaba yamasizini kulo uSuthu. Zize zaludayisela yena ngokuphelele ngesizini ka-2020/21.
"Emdlalweni wePirates sizokwakhela kokuhle esikwenze emdlalweni weStellenbosch. Kuningi okuhle esikwenzile. Sakhe inqwaba yamathuba nokho esihlulekile ukuwasebenzisa. Ukudliwa iStellenbosch nokuhlala endaweni yokugcina akumele kusithene amandla. Ngiyabathemba ozakwethu nabaqeqeshi bethu abasha. Sizobuya namaphuzu aphelele kwiPirates,“ kusho uSikhakhane.
Nakuba nePirates iphoxekile iwashiswa ijezi iMagesi kwiCarling kodwa kwiligi izinto ziyihambela kahle. Isayinqobe yomine esayidlalile. Kwegcine ukuwudlala ishaye iSuperSport United ngo-2-0 ngoLwesibili.
Irekhodi lamaZulu lishayisa ngamahloni uma ibhekene neZimnyama ezicijwa uJose Riveiro. Agcina ukuzishaya emlenzeni wesibili, ngesizini ka-2013/14. Adlula ngo-1-0 wegoli likaBongani Ndulula. Ayecijwa uCraig Rosslee, iPirates iqeqeshwa uRoger de Sa.
Kusukela lapho kuze kufike kwisizini eyedlule, adliwe kweyeligi kasishiyagalombili, adlala ngokulingana kasishiyagalolunye. Kweyezinkomishi ahlulwe kane. Kuso lesi sibalo, ngesizini edlule, emlenzeni wokuqala weligi, lama qembu abambane ngeqanda, kowesibili eZimnyama zanqoba ngo-1-0. Ziphinde zadlula ngo-4-2 kowama-quarterfinal, eNedbank Cup.
UJose Riveiro oqeqesha iPirates uthe bazimisele ukuqhubeka nokubamba umgqigqo wokunqoba.
“Kumele siqhubeke nokusebenza njengoba kufanele sibhekane naMaZulu. Siyethemba ukuthi singakwazi ukunqoba amahlandla amahlanu kulandelana. Uma sifuna ukuzuza izinto ezibalulekile kufanele sinikele ngakho konke esinakho kuyona yonke imidlalo. Akusho lutho ukuthi sidlala kuphi, nobani futhi sidlalelani.
“Kumele sizikhandle umdlalo ngamunye futhi silwele amaphuzu amathathu. Yilowo mqondo esizama ukuwufaka eqenjini lethu nasethimbeni labaqeqeshi. Asibhekile imiphumela kuphela kodwa indlela iqembu elidlala ngayo iyakhombisa lizimisele,” kusho uRiveiro.
Imidlalo yeBetway Premiership yangempelasonto:
Namuhla - Ngo-7.30pm: Orlando Pirates v AmaZulu (Orlando Stadium).
Kusasa - Ngo-3.30pm: Richards Bay v Stellenbsoch (King Zwelithini Stadium); Marumo Gallants v TS Galaxy (Dr Molemela Stadium); Royal AM v Sekhukhune United (Harry Gwala Stadium).
Ngo-5.30pm: SuperSport United v Kaizer Chiefs (Pater Mokaba Stadium).
Ngo-8pm: Chippa United v Golden Arrows (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium).
NgeSonto -Ngo-3.30pm: Cape Town City v Magesi (Athlone Stadium); Polokwane City v Mamelodi Sundowns (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium).