SIBUSISO MDLALOSE ne-IOL
I-ORLANDO Pirates kudingeka noma kanjani iqede isizini ibalwa namaqembu aphezulu kwi-log yeDStv Premiership ukuze ikwazi ukubuyela emqhudelwaneni iConfederation of African Football (Caf) ngesizini ezayo.
Lokhu kushiwo nguBandile “Busy Weekend” Shandu, ongumdlali wasesiswini kwi-Orlando Pirates, ngaphambi komdlalo weDStv Premiership obhekwe ngabomvu phakathi kwePirates neMamelodi Sundowns, e-Orlando Stadium eSoweto, ngoMgqibelo ngo-3.30 ntambama.
Kulindeleke ukuba kusiphuke izidindi kulo mdlalo othathwa njengowamagqubu, kwazise iPirates kayilibonanga elidlalayo kwiSundowns emidlalweni emibili egcina ukubhekana la maqembu.
ISundowns ixebule iPirates ngo 4-0 kwiBlack Label Cup ngoNovemba, yaphinde yayibhansela ngo 2-0 koweLigi ngoDisemba 30 kowomlenze wokuqala wesizini ka-2022/2023 yePremiership.
Ngaphambi kwalokho iPirates yiyona exebule iSundowns ngo 3-0 kuma-semifinal eMTN 8.
Nakuba iPirates ibiqale isizini ngenothi eliphezulu, yaze yanqoba indebe yeMTN 8 ngoNovemba, kodwa izinto ziqale zayibhimbela kweyeligi ngemuva kwekhefu leNdebe yoMhlaba, ishaywa emidlalweni emibili ilandelana, yiSundowns neCape Town City ngokwehlukana.
EZimnyama zivuke inj’ebomvu emidlalweni emithathu ngaphambi kowangoMgqibelo neSundowns, kulandela ukubhaxabula iLamontville Golden Arrows ngo 3-1, zalandela ngokuxebula iStellenbosch FC ngo 4-1, zase zibhambabula iMarumo Gallants ngoMgqibelo odlule.
“Sithatha umdlalo ngamunye futhi senza isiqiniseko sokuthi sibuya nawo amaphuzu amathathu. Sizobona ukuthi siqeda isizini sikuphi (ne-log),” kusho uShandu.
“Kodwa njenge-Orlando Pirates nabadlali bayo, sifuna ukuyodlala kwiCaf Champions League ngesizini ezayo. “
Ephawula ngokubhekana kwabo neSundowns, uShandu uthe: “Siyazi ukuthi badlala kanjani (iSundowns). Okwethu nje wukuthi silwele ukwenza kangcono, silungise lokho esingakwenzanga kahle emdlalweni wethu wokugcina, senze isiqiniseko sokuthi siya kulo mdlalo sikulungele ukubhekana nenselelo yokubhekana nabo.”
Njengamanje iBucs ihlezi endaweni yesine kwi-log yePremiership, isalelwe yimidlalo engu-12 ukulwela ukuqeda isizini isendaweni yesibili kwi-log, okuyindawo okusahlezi kuyo iRichards Bay FC njengamanje.
Yehlukaniswe ngamaphuzu wugabagaba lwegebe lamaphuzu angu-24 nezimbangi zayo, iSundowns, ezihlezi ngokunethezeka esicongweni se-log yePremiership okubukeka kungasekho okungayivimba ekukhaleni yemuke nesicoco se-ligi okwehlandla lesithupha amasizini ayisithupha elandelana.
AmaSandawana aya kulo mdlalo nje athelwe ngezibonkolo njengoba eshaya kwasani okuphambi kwawo, okwenza umdlalo wawo wanamuhla neBucs ubhekwe ngabomvu kwazise nayo iBucs ivukile emaqandeni