PHEZU kokuba umqeqeshi we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, esephenduke iqhawe labalandeli baleli qembu ngokunqoba izindebe ezine kumasizini amabili elandelana kodwa usenengcindezi yokwenza kahle kwi-Caf Champions League.
URiveiro waseSpain, akubuzwa ukuthi sebeyamethemba abalandeli beZimnyama futhi babhekile ukuthi aphinde abajabulise ngesizini ka-2024/2025, kwazise yinto asebajwayeze yona selokhu afika eMzansi.
Ngesizini ka-2022/2023, uphakamise indebe yeMTN8 neyeNedbank Cup. Wenze okufanayo ngesizini ka-2023/2024. Ekuqaleni kwenyanya, uRiveiro ukhulise ithemba lenye indebe ngokwehlula iSuperSport United kuma-quarterfinal eMTN8.
NgeSonto, lo mqeqeshi unenselelo ehlukile yokuqinisekisa ukuthi eZimnyama zihamba ibamba elide kwiChampions League. IPirates izobhekana neDesciples FC yaseMadagascar, emdlalweni wesigaba sokuqala sokuhlungela ukungena kwesamaqoqo, ozoba ekuhambeni seNational Sports Complex ngo-1 emini.
Kumasizini adlule, iPirates ingene ehlazweni iwashishwa ijezi esigabeni sokuhlunga. Ngedlule, ishaywe yiJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana kusona isigaba sokuhlungela amaqoqo. Ngaphambi kwalokho, yayikhale ngaphansi kwi-Green Eagles yaseZambia ngesizini ka-2019/2020.
Owayengumdlali wasemuva weZimnyama, u-Ayanda Gcaba, uthe akaboni iPirates isinesikimu esiqinile esesingakwazi ukuhamba ibanga elide kwiChampions League.
“Kumele banyuse igiya e-Afrika. Bengadlala kahle ekhaya kodwa umsebenzi omkhulu kumele bawenze kwiChampions League. IMamelodi Sundowns ikwenzile lokho eminyakeni edlule. IPirates kumele ikulwele ukudlula esigabeni samaqoqo okungenani. Okwamanje kunzima ukuyiqonda i-Pirates ngoba idlala kahle komunye umdlalo, ishone phansi komunye. Bakhona abadlali abenza kuthokozeleke ukuyibuka kodwa abanye abakafinyeleli ezingeni elifanele,” kusho uGcaba.
IPirates yagcina ukufinyelela kowamanqamu weChampions League eminyakeni engu-11 eyedlule isaqeqeshwa ngu-Roger De Sa. UGcaba owayekhona kulelo qembu, uthe ngokwezinga leZimnyama akufanele ziphume esigabeni sokuqala.
“Umqeqeshi unengcindezi njengoba esewine izindondo amasizini elandelana. Kodwa sekumele asikhombise ukuthi usefundile ngobunzima bokudlala e-Afrika futhi unalo iqhinga lokwenza kangcono kulokhu. I-Afrika inzima futhi bonke kwi-Pirates bayakwazi lokho. Kumele i-Pirates izikhombise kuseva ukuthi izimisele ukwenza lukhulu ebholeni lase-Afrika. Lokhu nathi kwasisiza ngokuqhubeka komqhudelwano kwazise amaqembu ayesesazi. Akumele i-Pirates ithwaliswe kanzima ngamaqembu esigabeni sokuqala.”
IDisciples engompetha beligi yaseMadagascar bangesizini edlule izobhekana nePirates nje, kade iyobekwa izandla esontweni icelelwa ukunqoba.