INJINI ye-England, uDeclan Rice, inethemba lokwesula izinyembezi zeminyaka edlule ngokwehlula iSpain kowamanqamu we-Euro eBerlin.
I-Three Lions izobhekana neLa Roja e-Olympiastadion Berlin ngo-9 ebusuku. Kuzoba ngokwesibili i-England ifinyelela kowamanqamu we-Euro kulandelana. Ngo-2022 yakhala ngaphansi kwi-Italy sekuthenjiwe kwazise yayidlalela ekhaya, eWembley Stadium. I-Italy yanqoba ngo 3-2 sekukhahlelwa amaphenathi emuva kokuba umdlalo uphele zibambene ngo 1-1. Lo mdlalo wephula izinhliziyo zabalandeli base-England ababezitshela ukuthi izophela indlala yeminyaka kwazise izwe labo lagcina ukuphakamisa indebe ngo-1966 liwina iNdebe yoMhlaba.
URice, owayekhona beshaywa yi-La Nazionale, uthe kusebuhlungu okwenzeka eWembley kodwa kusasa banalo ithuba lokuqopha umlando.
“Ukubona i-Italy iphakamisa indebe kuyohlala enhlizinyweni yami njalo. Manje sithole elinye ithuba lokubhala umlando wethu. Kodwa sibhekene nelinye iqembu eliphezulu engilihlonipha kakhulu. Singawina. Singenzeli thina kuphela kodwa senzele umqeqeshi wethu engicabanga ukuthi kumfanele,” kusho uRice kwi-BBC.
Nakuba i-England ivuke ngesikhathi esihle emuva kokushaya into ephansi esigabeni samaqoqo kodwa kuzofanele izibambe ziqine kwiSpain engakaze yehlulwe kwi-Euro 2024. Ukuze lifezeke iphupho labantu base-England lokubhiyoza, kufanele umqeqeshi, uGareth Southgate, aqhamuke neqhinga lokuvimba abadlali abawuhlupho beSpain okunguLamine Yamal, Nico Williams noDani Olmo.
USouthgate ucashunwe ethi iSpain iyizimfivilithi ngenxa yezinto esizenzile kwi-Euro. ILa Roja, esiyiwine kathathu i-Euro, ikhiphe amanye amaqembu abebhekiwe kulo mqhudelwano okubalwa kuwona osokhaya iGermany neFrance.
“Bayiqembu elingcono kunawo wonke kulo mqhudelwano. Bathole usuku olwengeziwe lokuphumula ngakho kufanele siphumule kahle. Ngokwamaqhinga kuzofanele zingabi nawo amaphutha,” kusho uSouthgate.