UKUQHATHWA kwamazwe azodlana imilala kwi-2018 Fifa World Cup eMoscow, eRussia ngoLwesihlanu ntambama kuvuse iminjunju ezinkakheni zeBafana Bafana ngokungayi kweNingizimu Afrika kulo mqhudelwano.
Lokhu kuvele noMatthew Booth exoxa neSolezwe ngeSonto ehlaziya amaqoqo aseRussia.
UBooth, odlale kwi-2010 Fifa World Cup, uthe ukube iBafana ikhona kulo mqhudelwano akangabazi ukuthi ubezowuthola umsebenzi obuzomenza avakashele kuleliya lizwe adlale kulo kusuka ngo-2002 kuya ku-2009.
“Seziqalile ziyezwela izinduku zokungayi kweBafana Bafana eRussia. Okwamanje angazi noma umsebenzi wokuhlaziya ngeWorld Cup ngizowuthola yini. Ukube iBafana ikhona abemaningi amathuba okuyaeRussia ngoba akubuzwa ukuthi baningi abahlaziyi baseNingizmu Afrika abebezothathwa. Bengingathanda ukuyela ke ngiyovakasha kwazise ngidlale khona iminyaka eyisithupha,” kusho uBooth.
IBafana iyikhombile indiza ebheke eRussia ngemuva kokuqeda emsileni kuGroup D onqotshwe yiSenegal.
Kuqopheke umlando iBafana iphinda umdlalo wokuhlunga neSenegal nokuyilokho okuqede amaphupho abaseMzansi.
“Uma sesikhuluma ezebhola nje, iSenegal iseqoqweni elilula ne-Egypt. INigeria iseqoqweni elinzima kodwa izidlele amahlanga emidlalweni yokuhlunga kanti isanda kubhaxabula i-Argentina ngo 3-0 kowobungani khona eRussia. Angiyiboni nokho yehlula i-Argentina kweyamaqoqo kodwa inkani yayo ingayisiza idlule kwi-last 16,” kusho uBooth, ovale ngokuthipha iFrance neBrazil ayehlula kuma-Olmpic Games ayeseSydney, e-Australia ngo 2000.
“I-England neFrance banabadlali abasebancane abayikusasa. I-England izobe ibalwa nezimfivilithi eQatar ngo-2022 ngoba izofunda lukhulu eRussia uma nje ingalwela ukufika noma kuma-semi final. IFrance izobe isiqine kakhulu ngo-2022 kodwa nangonyaka ozayo isethubeni elihle lokubanga isicoco. Khumbula bathole amava kwi-Euro 2016 (behlulwa yiPortugal emdlalweni wamanqamu). IBrazil yona izidlele amahlanga kweyokuhlunga. Uma ngikhumbula kahle bazibekisele indawo eRussia kusasele imidlalo emithathu.”
UBooth uvale ngokuncokola ethi mhlawumbe neBafana isiyoze ilanyulelwe wukulandela amazwe afana neFrance ne-England.
“Womabili la mazwe azobe ehamba phambili ngabadlali abanezimpande zangaphandle, mhlawumbe nathi kumele sibalandele sitshontshe kula mazwe agcwele la eNingizimu Afrika,” kuncokola uBooth.
Umdlalo wokuqala kulo mqhudelwano uphakathi kweRussia neSaudi Arabia ngoJuni 14 kanti owamanqamu ungoJulayi 15. Yomibili iseLuzhniki Stadium, eMoscow.
Esewonke amaqoqo:
Group A: Russia; Saudi Arabia; Egypt; Uruguay
Group B: Portugal; Spain; Morocco; Iran
Group C: France; Australia; Peru; Denmark
Group D: Argentina; Iceland; Croatia; Nigeria
Group E: Brazil; Switzerland; Costa Rica; Serbia
Group F: Germany; Mexico; Sweden; South Korea
Group G: Belgium; Panama; Tunisia; England
Group H: Poland; Senegal; Colombia; Japan