I-Orlando Pirates izobhekana neSuperSport United koweMTN8 inokuzethemba ngenxa yomlando ‘wokungakhishwa esibayeni sayo’ uma zidudulana e-Orlando Stadium.
EZimnyama zizoqala umkhankaso wokuvikela indebe yeMTN8 ngokugijimisana naMatsatsantsa a Pitori emdlalweni wama-quarterfinals, namuhla ngoMgqibelo ngo-6 ebusuku, e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto. Abafana bomqeqeshi uJose Riveiro, sebewine iMTN8 amasizini amabili elandelana. Ngesizini edlule, bayiqukule emuva kokuthela isibhaxu iMamelodi Sundowns sekushawa amaphenathi eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini.
Nakuba iSuperSport ingelinye lamaqembu ahlala eyimisa kabi iPirates kodwa umlando uyayivuna uma bedlalela e-Orlando Stadium.
Ngesizini edlule, eZimnyama zihluleke zancama ukudla iSupeSport kwiligi. Emlenzeni wokuqala zikhale ngaphansi ngo 3-1, kowesibili zabambana ngo 1-1 e-Orlando Stadium.
Amatsatsantsa agcina ukushayela ekhaya iPirates eminyakeni eyishumi eyedlule. Kulowo mdlalo weligi owawungo-2014, eZimnyama zaguqa ngo 2-1. Emidlalweni iSuperSport eyathela isibhaxu iPirates kuyona eyohlala ikhunjulwa, kukhona owaphela ngo 6-1 ngo-2014 nowamanqamu weNedbank Cup eZimnyama ezaguqa kuwona ngo 4-1 ngo-2017 eThekwini. Awukho owawuse-Orlando Stadium.
Akubuzwa ukuthi lo mlando uzoletha umfutho ekhempini yePirates ikakhulukazi njengoba uRiveiro linqobe imidlalo eminingi ekhaya ngesizini ka-2023/2024.
URiveiro uthe iSuperSport ayiyona into yokudlala.
“Iqembu lethu ligcwele abadlali abasezingeni eliphezulu, abanekhono futhi ngokwesibalo sikahle. Sinabadlali abahle kuzona zonke izindawo futhi sikulungele ukudlala kodwa kulesi sikhathi sesizini akekho osesegiyeni. Umqhudelwano uyasiphoqa ukuthi siqale ngegiya eliphezulu zibekwa futhi siqinisekise ukuthi siyawina. Ngiqeqesha i-Orlando Pirates futhi okulindeleke kimina kufanele kwenyuke njalo ngesizini ngenxa yesiyikho,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Kufanele silwele wonke amathuba okuwina yonke imidlalo. Sibhekana nomqhudelwano ngamunye. SineMTN8 lapho esinethuba lokuvikela indebe yethu kodwa kufanele silihloniphe iqembu esizobhekana nalo ngoba iSuperSport ayilona ihlaya. Sikhuluma ngemidlalo yomkhumulajezi, ayikho enye indlela yokuqala (isizini). Sidlale nabo kabili ngesizini edlule, asibahlulanga. Sikhale ngaphansi ePolokwane, saphumelela ukuthola iphuzu e-Orlando ngosuku lokugcina lwesizini.”
Iqembu elizonqoba iMTN8 lizogoduka nesheke lika-R10 million. Wonke amaqembu ayisishoyagalombili azodlala kulo mqhudelwano azothola u-R1 million ngalinye.
Umqeqeshi weSuperSport, uGavin Hunt, owagcina ukuwina iMTN8 esaqeqesha iBidvest Wits ngo-2016, uthe bakulungele ukubhekana nePirates. UHunt uqinise isikwati sakhe ngabadlali abasha okubalwa uVincent Pule obeyibamba kweZimnyama, noNyiko Mobbie obedlalela iSekhukhune United.
“Bengingathanda ukuthi sithole elinye isonto lokuzicija kodwa sizodlala. Kunabadlali abasha, ababalelwa kwabayisithupha kuya kwabayisikhombisa abaqala umdlalo kodwa iningi labo linesipiliyoni. Sibuyise isipiliyoni eqenjini. Kufanele sidlale kahle okuyinto esizoyenza,” kusho uHunt.