UFUNA ukuqeda iqoqo eqhwakele umqeqeshi we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Riveiro, ofunge wagomela ukuthi eCairo, bayela iwini ngoba imidlalo yalolu hlobo bayayidinga kwazise bagqishe ngabadlali abangenaso isipiliyoni esitheni kwiCaf Champions League.
IPirates izifake esigqokweni sama-quarterfinal eChampions League ngokunqoba kwi-CR Belouizdad yase-Algeria ngo 2-1 wamagoli kaRelebohile Mofokeng noThalente Mbatha ngeSonto e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
Nakuba iPirates isivele izibekisele indawo emzuliswaneni olandelayo kodwa okuzokwenelisa uRiveiro ukuqeda kwayo u-Group C ihleli phezulu kwi-log ngokusho kwakhe.
Umdlalo wokusonga leli qoqo iPirates ibhekene kuwona nompetha i-Al Ahly yase-Egypt, ngoMgqibelo ngo-6 ntamaba, eCairo.
IPirates iqhwakele ngamaphuzu angu-11 kanti i-Al Ahly ihleli emhlane wayo ngawu-10 ngemuva kwemdlalo emihlanu nhlangothi zombili.
Ngesikhathi ekhuluma nabezindaba abenesithangami nabo ngemuva komdlalo, uRiveiro uveze ukuthi ukuqeda phezulu sekuyikhona abakubhekile ngoba isihibe sokuqala sebeseqile.
“Sinethuba lokuqopha umlando ngokuya eCairo sifike siwine okuzobe kuhamba nebhonasi yokuthi sizongena esigqokweni se-quarterfinal siyiqembu elikhonye iqoqo obekukhona kulona ompetha,” kusho uRiveiro.
“Lokhu kukodwa kuyisikhuthazi kubadlali ngoba iqiniso ukuthi kulula ukuthi behlise umgqigqo ngoba bayazi vele ukuthi sebewuqedile umsebenzi.
“Engingeke ngikwamukele wukuthi iPirates ishinsthe indlela yokudlala ngoba sibhekene nompetha esibayeni sabo. Sikuleli zinga ngoba besidlala ngendlela ethile ngakho-ke ngeke ngikwamukele ukuzithambisa kwabadlali kowokusonga iqoqo.
“Siyiqembu elibunjwe ngabadlali abangazijwayele izimo ezifana nalezi ngakho-ke zonke izivivinyo zimqoka futhi zamukelekile kithina.
“Ukudlala ne-Al Ahly eCairo kuzoliqinisa iqembu lethu ngezindlela eziningi njengoba sesingena kuvuthondaba lomqhudelwano.
“Ukukhonya iqoqo kwakungeyona into esasiyihlelile kodwa njengoba ithuba selizivezile kusemqoka ukuthi silisebenzise yize kuhlale kunzima ukubhekana ne-Al Ahly e-Egypt.
“Ngiyaqonda ukuthi kuzobanzima ngoba i-Al Ahly izobe ifuna into efanayo kodwa ngisho ukukucabanga ukuthi singawuwina lo mdlalo kungenza ngingabe ngisakwazi ukuwulinda,” kusho uRiveiro.