Amahloni kwabeSundowns ngesomiso kwiChampions League
UGRANT Kekana ozwakalise ukungenami ngokuqhubeka kwendlala yesicoco seCaf Champions League kwiMamelodi Sundowns
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INYANGA ezosongwa ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ihlanganisa iminyaka engu-10 iMamelodi Sundowns yadla isicoco sayo nokuseyisona sodwa kwiCaf Champions League yize leli qembu laseChloorkop libalwa nanesithunzi ebholeni lase-Afrika.
Kusukela iSundowns yadla iChampions League ngokunqoba kwiZamalek yase-Egypt ngo-2016 isaphekwa, wuPitso “Jingles” Mosimane, leli qembu lihlale liqhuzuka ngasekugcineni kulo mqhudelwano.
Yize iSundowns iqhuzuka ngasekugcineni kodwa ayikaze ingazibekiseli indawo emidlalweni yamaqoqo alo mqhudelwano kusukela ngo-2016 njengoba kubhekwe ukuba yenze okufanayo nakulokhu.
ISundowns kaMiguel Cardoso owalandelwa ukuzodla lo mqhudelwano kwazise kwiBetway Premiership iziphuzela umhluzi, izokwamukela iRemo Stars FC yaseNigeria emdlalweni womlenze wesibili wesigaba sokugcina ngaphambi kweyamaqoqo.
Kowomlenze wokuqala ngempelasonto edlule iSundowns izigwazele ibhece inqoba ngo 5-1 okwenza kulindeleke enye imbudlu kusasa ngo-3 ntambama, eLoftus Versfeld, ePitoli.
Omunye wabaqeqeshi abazakhela igama kwiSundowns, uRulani Mokwena, wayevamise ukululeka abalandela leli qembu ngokuthi akube sengathi liyaqhubeka nokuweshela lo mqhudelwano ngoba uyoze uliqome ngelinye ilanga.
Kwale kancane ukuthi iChampions League iqome ngesizini edlule kodwa kwathomba okhiye kowamanqamu ngesikhathi ivumela ukushaywa yiPyramids FC yase-Egypt kowamanqamu.
Kusukela iSundowns yadla iChampions League isiphume kweyamaqoqo kanye (2017), kowamanqamu kanye (2024/2025), kwi-quarterfinal amahlandla amane (2017, 2019/2020, 2020/2021 nango-2021/2022).
Kweyandulela amanqamu kusukela iSundowns yadla isicoco ngo-2016 isiphume amahlandla amathathu (2018/2019, 2022/2023 nango-2023/2024).
Omunye wabadlali abenza amaphutha abonakalayo kowamanqamu weChampions League ngesizini edlule, uGrant Kekana, ukhulume nabezindaba ngerekhodi leSundowns kwiChampions League ngoLwesine eChloorkop.
“Kuyasidla ngaphakathi ukuthi njalo sisishweba kancane lesi sicoco esesifile yindlala kusona kwazise sasigcina ngo-2016,” kusho uKekana.
“Kulokhu sizofaka umfutho omkhulu ngenhloso yokuqinisekisa ukuthi siyalilungisa iphutha langesizini edlule. Usixwayisile umqeqeshi ngobungozi bokuzithambisa ngoba sibuswa wumphumela womlenze wokuqala.
“Kumqoka ukuthi kulokhu sishintshe ukwenza ngoba kuliqiniso ukuthi akusihleli kahle ukuthi sinesithunzi e-Afrika kodwa irekhodi lethu kwiChampions League likhomba okunye,” kusho uKekana.