INKAKHA yeMamelodi Sundowns, u-Alex “Barnes” Bapela, ikholwa wukuthi amaqembu akuleli asayibambe kwiCaf Champions League nakwiConfederation Cup, okuyiMamelodi Sundowns neMarumo Gallants, azokwazi ukuhamba ibanga elide emiqhudelwaneni aze afinyelele kweyamanqamu.
ISundowns engagayelwa mphako kule sizini kwiDStv Premier League, isikhombisile nakwiChampions League, ukuthi ayisinisi mahleza. Ikukhombise esigabeni sokugcina samaqoqo ixebula i-Al Ahly yase-Egypt, ngo 5-2 emdlalweni womlenze wesibili.
Ukudlala kwayo ngokulingana ngo 1-1 ne-Al Hilal yaseSudan ngeledlule, sekuyiwezele esigabeni sama-quarterfinal njengoba isaqhwakele phezulu kwiGroup B weChampions League.
Izodlala umdlalo wokugcina esigabeni samaqoqo ngo-Ephreli, neCoton Sport yaseCameroon, eLoftus Versfeld, eTshwane.
IMarumo ebhinjelwa yizinto kwiPremiership njengoba ivika izembe kepha isamangaze abaningi ngendlela edlala ngayo kwiConfederation Cup ngob ikwazile ukuzibekisela indawo kuma-quarterfinal.
Ishaywe ngo 4-1 yi-Al Akhdar yaseLibya ngeledlule, kodwa bese isidlulele kuma-quarterfinal alo mqhudelwano, njengoba nayo isaqhwakele phezulu kwiGroup A yeConfederation Cup.
Izodlala umdlalo wokugcina wesigaba samaqoqo ngo-Ephreli 2, neSaint Eloi Lupopo yaseDemocratic Republic of Congo, eDobsonville Stadium, eSoweto.
“Ngikholwa wukuthi iSundowns neMarumo bazokwazi ukuhamba ibanga kwiChampions League nakwiConfederation Cup, uma bengaqhubeka ngaleli giya nasesigabeni esilandelayo.
“Yize iMarumo ibukeka izokwazi ukuhamba ibanga kwiConfederation Cup, kodwa iSundowns yiyo engiyibona isethubeni elingcono kakhulu ngenxa yobubanzi besikwati sayo nesipiliyoni enaso kulo mqhudelwano. Ukushaya kwayo i-Al Ahly ngaleya ndlela ngikholwa wukuthi sekuwuthumelile umlayezo kwamanye amaqembu,” kuchaza uBapela.
Uqhube wathi: “Yize ekhona amanye amaqembu aqinile asasele kwiChampions League anjengoWydad Casablanca, noRaja Casablanca, kodwa iSundowns ngiyibona izokwazi ukuzibamba ziqine ngisho noma ngabe ihlangana nelinye lalawa maqembu esigabeni esilandelayo.”
Mayelana neMarumo uthe yize ingeze yaqhathaniswa neSundowns kodwa indlela esadlale ngayo kuze kube manje iyakhombisa ukuthi ingakwazi ukuhamba ize ifinyelele ngisho kowamanqamu imbala.
“Cishe emaqenjini asele kwiConfederation Cup njengamanje, i-Asec Mimosa yase-Ivory Coast, nePyramids yase-Egypt, yiwona maqembu esingawathatha njenganzima uma ubheka ukuthi iqembu elinjengeTP Mazembe, alikwazanga ngisho ukufinyelela kuma-quarterfinal,” kusonga uBapela.