ISITOBHA seSuperSport United, uThulani “Tyson” Hlatshwayo, sidonse ngendlebe uVincent Pule ngezinhlamba athi zizothunyelwa kuyena ngabalandeli be-Orlando Pirates ahlukane nayo ekupheleni kwesizini ka-2023/2024.
ISuperSport izobhekana nePirates emdlalweni we-quarterfinal yeMTN8 e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto, ngoMgqibelo ngo-6 ntambama. EZimnyama zizoqala umkhankaso wokuwina le ndebe okwesithathu amasizini elandelana.
Ngesizini edlule, ziyiqukule emuva kokwehlula iMamelodi Sundowns eThekwini. UPule uzobhekana nePirates okokuqala kusukela eyishiyile emasontweni adlule. Kuyena kufana nokubuyela ekhaya kwiSuperSport kwazise ubuyele kumqeqeshi uGavin Hunt nabanye abadlali okukhona kubona uHlatshwayo ayenabo benqoba isicoco seligi, MTN8 neTelkom Knockout kwiBidvest Wits kumasizini adlule.
UHlatshwayo noPule baphinde badlala ndawonye kwiPirates kodwa lesi sitobha esasingukaputeni weBafana Bafana, sashesha ukuphelelwa yisikhathi kweZimnyama. Emuva kwalokho, uHlatshwayo wabhekana nePirates e-Orlando Stadium amahlandla ambalwa eseyibamba kuMatsatsantsa a Pitori.
“Wumdlalo wokuqala wesizini. Nakuba kuwumdlalo womkhumulajezi, iMTN8, kodwa ungaphansi kwePSL. Asikwazi ukusho ukuthi iqembu lethu selilungile ngenxa yemidlalo yobungani esiyidlalile. Sidlale neCape Town City kodwa asikwazi ukuthi sesicijile. Okwethu njengabaholi wukukhumbuza abadlali ukuthi bangesabi. IPirates iyiwinile le ndebe, manje isizozama ukuyivikela. Siyakwazi futhi esizobhekana nakho laphaya,” kusho uHlatshwayo.
Ukudlala kahle kweZimnyama ngesizini edlule nasekhempini ebiseSpain, kungalifaka itwetwe emaqenjini amaningi azongena e-Orlando Stadium. UHlatshwayo uveze ukuthi kumele basize uPule azibe izinhlamba zeqeqebana labalandeli bePirates elishaya isigubhu ngaphesheya kwenkundla.
“Bengikhuluma noPule, ngimtshela ukuthi angakufaki ekhanda lokhu ngoba nami ngangikuleso simo kule nkundla. Uzobakhona umuzwa ngoba ngake ngaba wumdlali laphaya. Okwethu wukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi kuyancipha ukwesaba ngoba bazomthuka, bazosho izinto eziyinhlamba, bemqalekisa. Kodwa kufanele aqinisekise ukuthi wenza akuzele lapha.”
Kuleli sonto, uHunt, ubezwakala ephuphuma yinjabulo ngokuzinikela kukaPule nakuba ekuvuma ukuthi leli nxele alikakulungeli ukudlala umdlalo wonke. UHlatshwayo uvumile ukuthi ubukeka ebukhali uPule ejimini.
“Lona nguPule engimaziyo. UPule enganginaye kwiBidvest Wits. Ngebhadi kwiPirates wahlaselwa wukulimala kaningi okwaphazamisa indlela yakhe. Kodwa lokhu engisakubonile okwamanje, uPule engimaziyo futhi ngithemba ukuthi uzokuletha lokho ngoMgqibelo.”
Izolo, iSuperSport iphinde yethula abadlali abathathu okungunozinti uThakasani Mbanjwa obevimbela iMoroka Swallows, Brooklyn Poggenpoel ohlukane neChippa United noKanin Ayer obedlala eNorway.
Imidlalo yaama-quarterfinal yeMTN 8:
Namhlanje - Ngo-6pm - Orlando Pirates v SuperSport United (Orlando Stadium).
Kusasa - Ngo-3pm - Stellenbosch v TS Galaxy (Danie Craven)
Ngo-Agasti 10 - Ngo-3pm - Sekhukhune United v Cape Town City (Peter Mokaba Stadium).
Ngo-Agasti 11 - Ngo-3pm - Mamelodi Sundowns v Polokwane City (Lucas Moripe Stadium).