OWAYEYINSIKA kwiBlack Leopards neMamelodi Sundowns uTiyani Mabunda ukholwa wukuthi iMarumo Gallants isenethuba lokugwema okwehlela omkhaya bayo iBlack Leopards ngesizini ka-2012/2013 begawulwa yizembe kwiPremiership emuva kokuhamba ibanga kwiCaf Confederation Cup.
UMabunda wayeseqenjini leBlack Leopards elaphuma emzuliswaneni weLast 16 weConfederation Cup ngo-2013, nokwaba nomthelela ekukhathaleni kwabadlali ngenxa yokugxila emidlalweni yeCaf egqilazayo, yagcina igawulwe yizembe.
IGallants isivele ihambe ibanga elide kuneLeopards kulo mqhudelwano njengoba seyedlulele kuma-quarterfinal eConfederation Cup, kulandela ukuqeda kwayo iphezulu kwiGroup A yeConfederation Cup.
IGallants izotholana phezulu neChippa United koweDStv Premiership, ePeter Mokaba Stadium ePolokwane, ngoLwesithathu ngo-7.30 ebusuku.
Inselelo ebhekene neMarumo ifana ncamashi naleyo eyayibhekene neLeopards ngesizini ka-2012/13.
“Ukudlala emqhudelwaneni weCaf kudinga isikwati esibanzi nesiqinile esizobhekana nemidlalo yeCaf, eyePremiership nemiqhudelwano yasekhaya yomkhumulajezi, kuyabagqilaza abadlali ukwehla benyuka kwiCaf. Yiyona yinto eyashaya iLeopards.
“Phezu kokufinyelela kwayo kwiLast 16, kodwa ukungabi naso isikwati esibanzi, okunezezelwe nawukulimala kwabanye abadlali abamqoka kwaba nomthelela omkhulu ekungakwazini kwayo ukulinganisa nasemidlalweni yasekhaya,” kusho uMabunda owanqoba iChampions League neMamelodi Sundowns ngo-2016.
Eqhuba uthe: “Nokho yize kunjalo ngibona iMarumo isenalo ithuba lokushintsha izinto kule midlalo eyisalele, ilivike izembe.
“Yona isihambe ibanga elide kulo mqhudelwano uma kuqhathaniswa neLeopards, njengoba isikuma-quarterfinal nje, lokho okusho ukwenyuka kwezinga lokuzethemba kubadlali bayo.
“Uma ubheka indlela abadlala ngayo kwiConfed Cup kuyakhombisa ukuthi bayiqembu elisengahamba ibanga kulo mqhudelwano, ngakho inselelo ebhekene nabadlali uqobo eyokuzitshela ukuthi akukho okungabahlula ekuvikeni izembe kule midlalo esele.
“Le fomu abanayo kwiConfed Cup uma bengayidlulisela nakweyeDStv Premiership, basengalivika izembe,” kuqhuba uMabunda.
IGallants ishaya into ecokeme kwiConfed nje, izinto ziyimele lubhojozi emidlalweni yeligi njengoba kuyiyona esahlezi emsileni kwi-log yeDStv Premiership emidlalweni engu-24 esayidlalile, nokuyiphonsela inselelo yokuthola amaphuzu amqoka emidlalweni eyisithupha eyisalele ukusuka ezembeni.
Nokho, kubukeka ithimba labaqeqeshi beGallants eliholwa wuRaymond Mdaka noDylan Kerr, selikubonile ukubaluleka kokuphumuza abadlali abamqoka kweminye imidlalo njengoba kwenzekile kowokugcina wesigaba samaqoqo benqoba iSaint Eloi Lupopo yaseDRC ngo 3-2 ngeSonto, eDobsonville Stadium.
Kulo mdlalo iBahlabane Ba Ntwa ibaphumuzile abadlali bayo abayizethenjwa okubalwa kubona, uCelimpilo Ngema, unozinti uWashington Arubi, uMpho Mvelase, uLebogang Mabotja, Lesiba Nku, kwathi isiphekepheke uKatlego Otladisa sangena ngesiwombe sesibili.