OWAYENGUNOZINTI weMamelodi Sundowns neBafana Bafana, uJohn Tlale, ukubona kuzoqinisa iqembu lesizwe ukuhamba ibanga elide kwamaqembu aseNingizimu Afrika emiqhudelwaneni yeConfederation of African Football (Caf).
Ngempelasonto amaqembu amabili akuleli, i-Orlando Pirates neStellenbosch FC adlulele kuma-quarterfinal eCaf Champions League neConfederation Cup ngokwehlukana.
IPirates iwele emuva kokushaya i-CR Belouizdad yase-Algeria ngo 2-1 koweChampions League. NgoMgqibelo, izodlala ne-Al Ahly kowokugcina wesigaba samaqoqo.
IStellenbosch ifinyelele kuma-quarterfinal ngokubhaxabula iStade Malien yaseMali ngo 2-0 koweConfederation Cup. Izodlala ne-RSB Berkane yaseMorocco kowokugcina wamaqoqo ngeSonto.
IMamelodi Sundowns eshaye i-AS Maniema Union yase-DRC ngo 2-1 ngoMgqibelo, isingene ngonyawo olulodwa kuma-quarterfinal eChampions League njengoba isidinga iphuzu emdlaweni wokugcina wesigaba samaqoqo kuGroup B ne-AS FAR Rabat yaseMorocco ngeSonto.
“Kuyajabulisa ukuthi amaqembu aseMzansi aseyithatha njengebalulekile imiqhudelwano yeCaf njengoba phambilini amanye awo abengayithathi njengebalulekile. Ukuhamba ibanga kweMarumo Gallants kwiConfederation Cup kumasizini edlule kukufakazele lokho. Nansi neStellenbosch manje isifinyelele kuma-quarterfinal, lokho okukhomba ngokusobala ukuthi amaqembu akithi aseyazimisela kule miqhudelwano yeCaf,” kusho uTlale, owayeseqenjini leBafana Bafana elanqoba i-Africa Cup of Nations ngo-1996.
“IPirates ikuma-quarterfinal eChampions League, kanti neSundowns isethubeni elihle uma nje ingabuya nephuzu kwi-AS FAR. Njengoba kwenzeka ngo-2021, iSundowns neChiefs (Kaizer) befinyelela kuma-quarterfinal, iChiefs yagcina ifinyelela kowamanqamu. Nakulo nyaka kusengenzeka elinye lamaqembu lifinyelele kowamanqamu futhi liyinqobe iChampions League. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukuthi amaqembu ethu enze kahle kule miqhudelwano yeCaf ngoba lokho kuba nomthelela omuhle naseqenjini lesizwe, iBafana. Buka nje kwi-Afcon yangonyaka odlule e-Ivory Coast, iBafana ibidlala ngeningi labadlali beSundowns abanesipiliyoni sokudlala kwiCaf,” kuqhuba lo nozinti, owayeseqenjini leSundowns elafinyelela okokuqala kowamanqamu eChampions League ngo-2001.
“Ngaphandle nje kokuthola amava okudlala e-Afrika ngokudlala kwiCaf nakwiBafana, abadlali bethu bathola ithuba lokubonwa yizinhloli zamaqembu ase-Europe, okuyinto ewasebenzela kakhulu amanye amazwe ase-Afrika anjengoSenegal, Ivory Coast, noNigeria.
“Kumanje uRelebohile Mofokeng kuthiwa ufunwa ngamaqembu akoSpain (Barcelona), ngakho sethemba ukuthi nabanye futhi bazobonwa ngamanye amaqembu.”