UMLANDO ophambi kwe-Orlando Pirates neMamelodi Sundowns wokubhekana kowamanqamu weCaf Champions League ngeke ugcine ngokunika iPremier Soccer League (PSL) amaphiko kepha uzokhuphula nesithunzi seBafana Bafana kwi-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) eseMorocco, ngoDisemba.
Umcabango wokuthi iPirates neSundowns bangase babange isicoco sase-Afrika kule sizini, uwodwa uyabakitaza abalandeli bakanobhutshuzwayo waseMzansi kwazise lokhu akukaze kwenzeke emlandweni.
Yize lilikhulu isasasa kodwa akulula ukuziba ukuthi kunesihibe esingamaqembu amabili alukhuni satshe ase-Egypt, iPirates neSundowns okufanele idlule kuwona kuqala ngaphambi kokuqhubeka kwephupho.
Yize kukhona amaligi ase-Afrika akuphikayo lokhu kodwa i-PSL ihlale ikuqhakambisa ukuthi ingenye yengcono kwizwekazi ngakho-ke ukubhekana kwePirates neSundowns kowamanqamu weChampions League kungayinika igunya lokuhamba ikhukhumale.
Namuhla kuzolalwa sekucaca ukuthi amathuba omdlalo wamanqamu phakathi kwamaqembu aseMzansi akhona noma ayamfimfa ngoba iPirates neSundowns bazobe sebeyidlalile ngokwahlukana eyomlenze wokuqala wowandulela owamanqamu.
Kuzoqala iSundowns ne-Al Ahly yase-Egypt ngo-3 ntambama, eLoftus Versveld, ePitoli. Kuzodlula amahora ambalwa iPirates ibhekane nePyramids FC nayo yase-Egypt kowayo ongo-6 ntambama, e-FNB Stadium, eNasrec.
Noma ngabe kwenzekeni kweyomlenze wokuqala kodwa ngeke sibekhona isikhathi sokudlinza ngoba iPirates neSundowns bazobe beseCairo, e-Egypt ngokwahlukana ngoLwesihlanu oluzayo, lapho beyodlala khona eyomlenze wesibili.
OweSundowns ne-Al Ahly ungo-6 ntambama eCairo International Stadium. OwePirates nePyramids ungo-8 ebusuku eJune 30 Stadium.
Yomibili le midlalo ilukhuni ngendlela efanayo kodwa isibindi sabafana abancane bePirates nokuqina kokhakhayi kwabeSundowns asebewujwayele lo mqhudelwano wenza abathandi bakanobhutshuzwayo eMzansi baqhubeke nokuphupha.
Ukudlondlobala kwenjejane ehlanganisa, oRelebohile Mofokeng, Mohau Nkota noMbekezeli Mbokazi kuyamangaza ngaphansi kwesandla sikaJose Riveiro.
NgakwiSundowns uMiguel Cardoso ubophele izinkunzi eziyazi ukusuka nokuhlala iChampions League esingabala kuzona, oTeboho Mokoena, Lucas Ribeiro noRonwen Williams.
Njengoba iBafana ilokhu iqhubeke njalo nokuzakhela isithunzi e-Afrika, umdlalo wamanqamu wePirates neSundowns uzonika leli qembu lesizwe umfutho wokusonga ngamandla eyokuhlungela iNdebe yoMhlaba yase-USA, Mexico naseCanada ngonyaka ozayo.
Kuzosiza futhi nangokukhuphula isithunzi saleli qembu likaHugo Broos kwi-Afcon eqala eMorocco ngoDisemba 21.
“Engikwaziyo ukuthi abadlali bePirates bazofuna ukufela enkundleni kuyona yonke imidlalo ebasalele ngenhloso yokuvalelisa ngokuhlabana kuRiveiro,” kusho uDikgang Mabalane owadlala kwiPirates ngesikhathi ekhuluma neSolezwe Ngempelasonto eGoli, maphakathi nesonto.