UMHLAZIYI webhola, uFabian McCarthy, uthi kulokhu iMamelodi Sundowns kufanele izinikele ngokuphelele, ikhiphe unyawo emqhudelwaneni weCaf Champions League, kwazise akusekho okuzoyiphazamisa kwiDStv Premiership.
ISundowns izoba phansi phezulu nemidlalo yesigaba samaqoqo yeCaf Champions League kuze kuphele uFebhuwari. Izoqala ngokubhekana ne-Al Hilal yaseSudan, ilandelise ngeCoton Sport yaseCameroon, ivale nge-Al Ahly yase-Egypt okungamaqembu eqhathwe nawo esigabeni sokugcina samaqoqo kwiGroup B.
Amaqembu azoqeda ephezulu kusukela kwiGroup A kuya kwiGroup D kwiChampions League azodlulela kuma-quarterfinal alo mqhudelwano.
ISundowns izovula nge-Al Hilal kowomlenze wokuqala, eLoftus Versfeld Stadium, ePitoli, namuhla ngo-3 ntambama.
YiCotonsport kuphela eyincwadi evaliwe kwiSundowns emaqenjini ezobhekana nawo kulesi sigaba samaqoqo, njengoba ingakaze ibhekane naleli qembu laseCameroon phambilini. Kanti i-Al Hilal ne-Al Ahly idlalile nabo ngesizini edlule.
I-Al Hilal iyithele isibhaxu kabili ngo 1-0 ekhaya, no 4-2 ekuhambeni. Kwathi kwi-Al Ahly esiphenduke izimbangi zayo ezinkulu, yaguqa ngo 1-0 kowomlenze wokuqala ekuhambeni yabe isibuyisa izinduku kowomlenze wesibili inqoba ngo 1-0 ePitoli.
Nokho, indlela yamaSandawane ibe isiphela kuma-quarterfinal iguqiswa yiPetro de Luanda yase-Angola.
“ISundowns akusekho okuzoyiphazamisa manje emidlalweni yePremiership, ngoba angiboni nokuncane osekungayivimba ekuwineni iLigi kule midlalo eyisishiyagalolunye eyisalele.
“Isikwati sayo sikhulu, futhi sibanzi ngokwanele ukuthi singakwazi ukuyibamba kwiNedbank nasemidlalweni esele yePremiership, bese ibophela isikimu sayo esiqinile emidlalweni yeChampions League.
“Kulokhu kufanele izibambe ziqine ngempela kwiChampions League ilwele ukusinqoba lesi sicoco, ikhombise ukuthi ukukhonya kwayo kwiPSL akuyona into yokudlala, kodwa nayo ingelinye lamaqembu amakhulu e-Afrika,” kusho uMcCarthy.
Ukukhombisa ukuthi leli qembu lizimisele kakhulu ngomdlalo walo weChampions League wanamuhla ne-Al Hilal, liphumuze abadlali balo abaningi abamqoka emdlalweni wangoLwesibili weNedbank Cup neRichards Bay.