UKUBHEKANA neChippa United kwiBetway Premiership yikhona okuduma emakhanda abe-Orlando Pirates yize umqeqeshi wayo, uJose Riveiro, ekuqonda ukuthi abaqedile neJwaneng Galaxy FC yaseBotswana kwiCaf Champions League.
URiveiro ukusho lokhu esithangamini nabezindaba kulandela ukunqoba kwePirates ngo 2-0 kwiJwaneng kowomlenze wokuqala esigabeni sesibili sokuhlungela eyamaqoqo eChampions League ngempelasonto edlule eBotswana International Stadium, eGaborone.
IPirates enqobe ngamagoli, kaDeon Hotto noTshegofatso Mabasa, iqala imidlalo yeBetway Premiership ngokwamukela iChippa NgoLwesithathu ngo-7.30 ebusuku e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
Ukunqoba iligi nokwenza kahle kwiChampions League, yikhona osekubhekwe kakhulu kuRiveiro kusukela efikile kweZimnyama kumasizini amabili edlule. Usenqobe iMTN8 neNedbank Cup kulandelana. Kuyimanje iPirates izodlala kowamanqamu eMTN8, okwesithathu kulandelana uma isidudulana neStellenbosch ngo-Okthoba 5, eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini.
Vele kuhlale kuqhasha izinhlansi uma iPirates neChippa bebhekene. Emdlalweni wokugcina ngesizini edlule kwashoda ngozogadla phakathi kukaRiveiro nomqeqeshi weChippa, uKwanele Kopo.
URiveiro uthe yize benqobe ngendlela encomekayo ekuhambeni kwiJwaneng emkhiphe kulo mqhudelwano nyakenye kodwa iChippa isemqondweni wakhe.
“Sinqobe ngendlela egculisayo ekuhambeni kwiChampions League kodwa okwamanje sizofaka wonke amahhanisi ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi iligi siyiqala ngenothi eliphezulu,” kusho uRiveiro esithangamini nabezindaba.
“Umdlalo wethu neChippa umqoka ngokwamaphuzu yize uphakathi komunye weChampions League.
“Ngiyabethemba abadlali bami ngoba lokhu okwenzekayo yinto esikhulume kaningi futhi kabanzi ngayo mina nabo (abadlali).
“Indlela esiqale ngayo isizini edlule kufanele ishintshe kodwa siya koweChippa ngokuzethemba kwazise ukudlala kwiMTN8 nakwiChampions League kusinike ithuba elanele lokufudumala kuqala kunabanye,” kusho uRiveiro.
Kuzokhumbuleka ngesizini edlule, iPirates yaqala ngebatha kweyeligi ishaywa iStellenbosch FC ngo 1-0 ekuhambeni.