BAZOPHOQELEKA ukushesha baqine ukhakhayi abadlali be-Orlando Pirates abangabazi ubunzima bokudlala imidlalo yeConfederation of African Football (Caf) ukuze bazibeke ethubeni lokwengeza inkanyezi ejezini leZimnyama.
IPirates eyaqopha umlando ngokuba yiqembu lokuqala laseNingizimu Afrika elawina indebe yeCaf Champions League ngo-1995, lisahamba phambili kuleli ngokufinyelela kowamanqamu emiqhudelwaneni yase-Afrika.
EZimnyama sezifinyelele kabili kowamanqamu weChampions League ngo-1995 nango-2013, zawudlala kabili owamanqamu weCaf Confederation Cup ngo-2015 nango-2022.
Esikimini sePirates samanje, babili kuphela abadlali abaqala umdlalo kowamanqamu weConfederation Cup eyahlulwa kuwona yiRS Berkane yaseMorocco ngo-2022.
Labo badlali ngu-Innocent Maela no-Olisah Ndah. UKabelo Dlamini, Deon Hotto noTshegofatso Mabaso bawuqala ebhentshini. UBandile Shandu usalimele. UGoodman Mosele, obuya ekubolekisweni kwiChippa United, akucaci ngokulungela kwakhe ukudlala kwazise kade elimele.
UNdah, okubukeka esebuyele esikimini sePirates noMaela osephenduke ukudla kwebhentshi, kulindeleke ukuthi bacathulise abadlali ngokudingekayo ukuze leli qembu lenze kahle e-Afrika.
Ukungabi nesipiliyoni sokuhamba ibanga elide kwiCaf kubadlali abaningi kungaba yisitha seZimnyama njengoba zizoqala uhambo lweChampions League. IPirates izogadulisana neDisciples FC yaseMadagascar emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala wesigaba sokuqala sokuhlungela ukungena kwesamaqoqo eCode D’OR National Sports Complex eMauritius ngeSonto ngo-1 emini. Owomlenze wesibili uzoba ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
Nakuba umqeqeshi, uJose Riveiro, ehlulekile ukuhamba ibanga elide kwiChampions League ngesizini edlule kodwa usathwele amathemba abalandeli okuqeda ukhondolo lwakamuva lweZimnyama lokukhishwa ekuseni kulo mqhudelwano. Ngesizini edlule iPirates yakhishwa yiJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana esigabeni sokuqala sokuhlunga. Okufaka ingcindezi kakhulu kuRiveiro wukuthi useyathenjwa ngabalandeli beZimnyama kulandela ukuwina kwakhe izindebe ezine kumasizini amabili. URiveiro uwine indebe yeMTN8 neyeNedbank Cup ngesizini ka-2022/2023 neka-2023/2024.
UMaela uthe abayile ukuyosinisa amahleza eMauritius.
“Amalungiselelo ahambe kahle. Kodwa ke wumdlalo oyinkinga ngoba asinalo ulwazi olungakho ngeqemu esizodlala nalo. Ngakho, ngicabanga ukuthi okubaluleke kakhulu kithina wukungena ensimini sigxile eqhingeni lethu lokudlala, sidlale ngakho konke okusemandleni ethu,”kusho uMaela kwi-Indebependent Media.
IDisciples ngeke incisheke ithuba lokudlalela phambi kwabalandeli bayo kwazise iMadagascar ayinazo izinkindla ezisezingeni elidingwa yiCaf. Lokhu kuphoqe ukuthi iyodlala kwamakhelwane, eMauritius.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi lokhu kuzobenzela phansi ngoba abadlali phambi kwabalandeli babo. Kodwa kithina kusewumdlalo wangaphandle ekugcineni. Siyazazi izinselelo zokudlala ezwenikazi. Sisifundile isifundo ngesizini edlule. Ngicabanga ukuthi iqembu lethu linesipiliyoni emuva kokulungiselela isizini ekhempini eSpain. Kubalulekile ukuqala kahle njengoba sidlala umdlalo owomlenze wokuqala ekuhambeni. Ukushaya kwethu igoli kuzosibeka ebuhleni emlenzeni wesibili,”kusho uMaela.