MTHOKOZISI MNCUSENI
K UBANJWE umoya ngesimo sikaThabo Matlaba we-Orlando Pirates olimale ngeSonto ebusuku ngesikhathi iqembu lakhe ligila izimanga linqoba ngo 1-0 kuCS Sfaxien yaseTunisia koweCaf Confederation Cup.
Ngokuthola kwephephandaba, isimo sakhe, okubhekeke ukuba abe yingxenye yeBucs ezodudulana neKaizer Chiefs ngoMgqibelo ngo-3 ntamabama e-FNB Stadium, eGoli, koweCarling Black Label Cup, sizocaca uma iqembu selibuyele ekhaya.
Ngokwesitatimende esikhishwe yiBucs ku-website yayo izolo ntambama, u-Eric Tinkler nezakhe bafulathele iTunisia izolo ebusuku badlulela eDubai lapho bezofike baxhume khona indiza ebheke kuleli. Bazotheleka namuhla.
UMatlaba uthinteke inyonga ngomzuzu ka-70 kodwa waqhubeka nokudlala eselimele okungase kukhubaze izifiso zabalandeli okuyibona abebemfake esikimini seCarling Cup ngamavoti abo.
Okuvele ekhempini yePirates esanda kulimala uMatlaba wukuthi bathe uma bebona ukuthi inkinga isenyongeni base bemenza okuthile ukwehlisa izinhlungu nokugwema ukuthi kuvuvuke.
“Njengoba ukuvuvuka sikugwemile, sizothi uma sifika ekhaya bese ebonana nodokotela oyisipesheli ezintweni ezifana nalezi. Kulapho singaqala sithathe izinqumo kodwa okwamanje sisabambe umoya,” sisho kanje isitatimende sePirates izolo.
Kulindeleke ukuthi yamukelwe njengamaqhawe iPirates uma isitheleka kuleli ngoba lokhu ekwenzile bekungelula. Ngaphezulu kwalokho ayizenzeli yona kepha iphakamisa ifulegi leligi nezwe ngokunjalo.
Njengoba iPirates inqobile izicabele indlela yokulala isibili ku-Group B okuqhwakele kuwo iZamalek yase-Egypt eshaye i-AC Leopards okwenza imidlalo emibili esele ekhaya kwezikaTinkler ibe ngemqoka kakhulu.
Imidlalo emibili elandelayo yePirates isekhaya. Kolandelayo iPirates izodudulana neSfaxien enkundleni esazomenyezelwa ngo-Agasti 8 bese kuthi ngo-Agasti 22 ibhuquzisane ne-AC Leopards enkundleni esazomenyezelwa.
EZimnyama zizovala imidlalo yamaqoqo ngokuvakashela iZamalek e-Egypt ngoSepthemba 12 bese kuthi amaqembu amabili aqede ephezulu emaqoqweni awo adlulele kweyandulela eyamanqamu.
I-log kaGroup A:
Amaqembu P W D L GF GA Pts
Al-Ahly 3 2 1 0 4 0 7
Etoile du Sahel 3 2 0 1 2 1 6
Stade Malien 3 1 1 1 2 2 4
Esperance 3 0 0 3 1 6 0
I-log kaGroup B:
Amaqembu P W D L GF GA Pts
Zamalek 3 3 0 0 5 1 9
Pirates 3 2 0 1 3 2 6
Sfaxien 3 0 1 2 1 3 1
Leopards 3 0 1 2 1 4 1