UNOZINTI waMaZulu FC, uSiyabonga Mbatha, uncoma umqeqeshi wakhe uCavin Johnson ngokungadlali ibhola lobugwala noma ngabe ubhekene naliphi iqembu.
Ngokusho kwalo nozinti oke wavimbela iThanda Royal Zulu neBloemfontein Celtic eminyakeni edlule, iHighlands Park abazobhekana nayo ngoMgqibelo emdlalweni we-Absa Premiership eKing Zwelithini Stadium, eMlaza, ngo-8.15 ebusuku, ezika-Owen Da Gama zizothwala kanzima ngoba ibhola likaJohnson liya phambili kuphela, akulona ibhola elihlonipha izitha.
Ziya kulo mdlalo nje, Usuthu luphuma esibhaxwini sika 3-2, lapho lushaywe yiPolokwane City kanti i-The Lions Of The North ibambane ne-Orlando Pirates kwashunqa uthuli kuba ngu 2-2, eMakhulong Stadium.
“Umqeqeshi wethu akayona le nhlobo edlala ibhola lobugwala, ukholelwa ekutheni kufanele adlale avule umdlalo. Ukuwina kwethu imidlalo eminingi ngasekupheleni konyaka owedlule kwenze amaqembu asifunda futhi asilungiselela kangcono. Kodwa njengamanje sishintshe unyawo njengoba sizama ukuthi singabambeki futhi singafundeki kalula,” kuchaza uMbatha ngemuva kokuziqeqesha neqembu izolo ezinkundleni ezingaphandle eMoses Mabhida Stadium.
EKing Zwelithini Stadium, AmaZulu awakashaywa kule sizini. UMbatha uthe ngeke bakwazi ukushaywa yiHighlands sebebambe iPirates neMamelodi Sundowns okuyizinkunzi ezihluleke zancama ukushayela ekhaya Usuthu.
“Asinayo nencane inkinga ekhaya. Sinerekhodi elihle ekhaya okufanele silivikele, ngakho asikwazi ukuthi singayeka iHighlands ifike lapha izenzele umathanda. Esikufuna kubona amaphuzu amathathu kwaphela,” usho ngenkani uMbatha.
Ezika-Da Gama zisendaweni yesishiyagalolunye kwi-log ngamaphuzu awu-21 emidlalweni ewu-16. EzikaJohnson zona zisendaweni ka-11, ngamaphuzu awu-16 emidlalweni efanayo.
“Ngesizini edlule siqede kwi-Top 8 (olwagcina Usuthu luphumile kuyona kwangena iSuperSport United). Nakulokhu iphupho lethu ukuthi siqede kuyona. Ukuze lokho kwenze kufanele siqoqe amaphuzu ikakhulukazi emidlalweni yasekhaya,” kunezezela uMbatha.
AmaZulu azobeka amathemba awo kuBongi Ntuli no-Emiliano Tade phakathi kwabo asebeshaye amagoli awu-12 kule sizini.