UMQEQESHI we-Orlando Pirates, uJose Reviero, uwubona ungomkhulu kunayo yonke imidlalo eNingizimu Afrika, umdlalo wezakhe neMamelodi Sundowns, abazobhekana nayo kowamanqamu weNedbank Cup, eMpumalanga.
EZimnyama zinethuba lokuvikela indebe yeKe Yona Ya Rona, eziyiwine ngesizini edlule uma ziphumelela ukuqeda ngeSundowns kusasa ngo-3 ntambama emdlalweni ozoba eMbombela Stadium. Amaqembu azobhekana okwesibili kowamanqamu kule sizini ngoba agijimisene koweMTN8 eThekwini, kwanqoba eZimnyama sekukhahlelwa amaphenathi.
Emidlalweni yeligi yomibili yesizini ka-2023/2024 zidlale ngokulingana. Ukuqina kwePirates, neSundowns kubonakele nangokuqeda zilandelana kwi-log yeDStv Premiership. ISundowns iwine isicoco, iPirates yaqeda endaweni yesibili.
Nakuba iningi labalandeli eMzansi lihlala liqhakambisa ukuthi umdlalo wabakhaya baseSoweto, ophakathi kwePiraes neKaizer Chiefs, yiwona omkhulu ebholeni lakuleli kodwa uRiviero ubona okuhlukile.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi singavumelana ngokuthi okwamanje wumdlalo omkhulu kunayo yonke ongayidlala kuleli lizwe. Abadlali bezinhlangothi zombili bayabazi ubunzima bomsebenzi. Ngakho noma ngubani ofuna ukuwina lo mdlalo wamanqamu kufanele adlalele ukuzibulala. Ngaphandle kwalokho ngeke siphumelele noma bona ngeke baphumelele. Ngicabanga ukuthi womabili amaqembu ayazi. Yilokho okubalulekile okuzokwenziwa ngabadlali enkundleni. Bayazi ukuthi kumele bakhiphe wonke amandla ngoMgqibelo. Ngaphandle kwalokho kuzoba nzima. Wumdlalo webhola, kungenzeka noma yini. Kwesinye isikhathi okungakufanele uyakuthola kodwa kowamanqamu angicabangi ukuthi kunjalo,” kuphawula uRiveiro.
Umdlalo wakusasa kuzoba ngowamanqamu wesine womqeqeshi uJose Riveiro, ojoyine eZimnyama ngo-2022, engazelwa lutho eMzansi. Akakaze ahlulwe kowamanqamu. Lo mqeqeshi waseGermany, uwine iMTN8 ehlula AmaZulu ngo-2022, Nedbank Cup ehlula iSekhukhune United, wavula isizini esongwayo ngokwehlula iSundowns.
URiveiro usephenduke iqhawe kubalandeli bePirates ngokuwina izindebe nokudlala ibhola elibajabulisayo. Nokho kuzomele azibambe ziqine kwiSundowns, ewine iligi ihlulwe kanye ngesizini esongwayo. Akubuzwa ukuthi umqeqeshi uRhulani Mokwena, nabafana bakhe bazofuna ukuvala isizini ngegiya eliphezulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuzoba yithuba lokuziphindiselela kwiPirates, ebaphuce iqatha emlonyeni koweMTN8 bethwelwe ngeqoma.
“Yithuba labo lokubhekana nathi kowamanqamu. Ngesikhathi sibhekene nabo kowamanqamu izinto azibahambelanga kahle. Zivune thina. Ngakho kuningi okuzonika lo mdlalo umfutho. Ngicabanga ukuthi kuzoba ngokhethekile. Sinethuba lokuwina indebe, siphinde sijabulise abalandeli bethu. Indlela yokwenza lokho wukwenza konke okusemandleni enkundleni. Yilokho abakulindele kithina. Umphumela ngeke uwazi kodwa indlela esizodlala ngayo siyakwazi ukuyilawula. Sizozama ukugijima ngendlela ezodingwa wumdlalo ngoba siyayifuna ngempela indebe,” kusonga uRiveiro.