UMQEQESHI we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, unxenxa abadlali abasha beZimnyama abangakasitholi isikimu ukuthi bengadikibali futhi baqhubeke nokusebenza kanzima phezu kokuba abalandeli sebebafuna enkundleni.
IPirates iqinise isikwati sayo ngabadlali abasezingeni eliphezulu okukhona kubona uGilberto wase-Angola noDeano van Rooyen obengukaputeni weStellenbosch FC. UGilberto ubhekwe ngabomvu ngabalandeli ngenxa yezinga alikhombise emqhudelwaneni i-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) ekuqaleni konyaka nasemidlalweni yobungani ngesikhathi eZimnyama zisekhempini eSpain ngenyanga edlule. Ngaphambi komdlalo wayizolo we-Caf Champions League ne-Disciples FC yase-Madagascar, akekho kubadlali abasha beZimnyama obesathole isikimu.
URiveiro uthe akabheki ukuthi umdlali ufike nini kwi-Pirates uma ebophela isikimu.
“Kuhlala kunesizathu esenza ngidlalise abanye abadlali, ngishiye ngaphandle abanye. Angibabheki abadlali ngokuthi basha noma badala eqenjini. Sizama ukuya emidlalweni sikhiphe konke esinakho ngabadlali abakhona. Angihlukanisi ukuthi abadlali abasha noma abadlali asebehlale unyaka noma emibili eqenjini. Sonke siseqenjini elilodwa. Sinesikwati esikhulu. Abadlali abasha into abangayenza wukusebenza kahle, babekezele, balinde amathuba abo. Bonke abadlali abakhona esikwatini sethu bengalidlalela leli qembu. Wukubekezela nje, ulinde ithuba lakho,” kusho uRiveiro.
URiveiro unenselelo yokubophela inqanawe yesikimu esizobhekana ne-Cape Town City emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala wowandulela owamanqamu we-MTN8 eCape Town Stadium ngoLwesibili ngo-7 ebusuku. IPirates, efinyelele kulesi sigaba ngemuva kokwehlula iSuperSport United kuma-quarterfinal, isiwine iMTN8 amasizini amabili elandelana.
Umqeqeshi weCity, u-Eric Tinkler, uthe bayabazi ubunzima abazobhekana nabo kwiPirates.
“Yiqembu elikhulu esizobhekana nalo, i-Orlando Pirates. Yiqembu eseliwine lo mqhudelwano amasizini elandelana. Ngeke kube lula kodwa singangena enkundleni ngokukhulu ukukholwa nokuzethemba, sidlale umdlalo ngaphandle kokwesaba. Kuze kube manje amalungiselelo ahamba kahle futhi ngicabanga ukuthi abadlali bakubheke ngabomvu ukudlala neqembu elikhulu kangaka elifana nePirates. Kuzoba nzima. Kuzoya ngokuthi ubani owufuna kakhulu umdlalo. Kodwa leli yithuba lethu lokufinyelela kowamanqamu. Lokho kuqala ngomdlalo wethu wasekhaya,” kusho uTinkler.
Komunye umdlalo owandulela owamanqamu we-MTN8, iMamelodi Sundowns izodudulana ne-Stellenbosch kowomlenze wokuqala eLucas Moripe Stadium, e-Atteridgeville, ePitoli, ngoLwesithathu ngo-7 ebusuku.