UKomphela ugadulisana nomlando kowakusasa
AmaSandawana azophakamisa iminwana Amakhosi avikele iso lawo kusasa eFNB Stadium kwesikamaminzela
KUNGAKHOHLISWANA ngayo yonke indlela kusasa ngoMgqibelo kwazise kuzobe kuwusuku olwaziwa nge-April Fools Day, kepha abalandeli bakanobhutshuzwayo bazi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi kuzobe kungekho ukuncokola nokwenzana izilima uma iKaizer Chiefs itholana phezulu neMamelodi Sundowns, kowe-Absa Premiership eFNB Stadium, ngelesi-8 ebusuku.
Okwenza lo mdlalo ubenzima ukuthi abalandeli bala maqembu omabili balambele amaphuzu amathathu njengoba sekunesikhathi lezi zinkunzi zagcina ukunqoba. Emidlalweni emithathu yakamuva, iChiefs idlale ngokulingana ne-Ajax Cape Town ngegoli elilodwa nhlangothi zombili, kwaba ngesifanayo khathi ibhekene nezimbangi zayo ezinkulu i-Orlando Pirates ngaphambi kokudlala ngokulingana ngamagoli ama-2 nhlangothi zombili neBaroka FC. Empeleni iziMpofana zagcina ukunqoba umdlalo weligi zili-18 kuNhlolanja zishaya iHighlands Park ngegoli elilodwa eqandeni. Kumanje ezikaSteve “Mphathi” Komphela zisendaweni yesine kulogi, ngamaphuzu angama-36 ngemva kwemidlalo engama-21.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi ompetha abavikela isicoco seligi, amaBrazilians nawo asedlale imidlalo emithathu muva nje enganqobi ku-Absa Premiership. ISundowns idlale ngokulingana neChippa United kuba iqanda nhlangothi zombili, yashaywa iCape Town City ngelilodwa eqandeni, ngaphambi kokudlala ngokulingana ngeqanda nhlangothi zonke nePolokwane City. Abafana Ba Style bagcina ukunqoba belobola i-Orlando Pirates ngamagoli ayi-6 eqandeni, mhla zili-11 kuNhlolanja, eLoftus Versfeld Stadium. EzikaPitso “Jingles” Mosimane zisendaweni yesihlanu kulogi, ngamaphuzu angama-34 emva kwemidlalo eli-17.
UMosimane uthi nakuba ezakhe zingazange zilithole ikhefu njengamanye amaqembu, kodwa akazithetheleli ngokukhathala kwabadlali endleleni yakhe yokuvikela isicoco. UPitso uveze ukuthi umbango wamaqembu phezulu esicongweni se-Absa Premiership, uzophela kungekudala uma kuke kwaqhwakela ezakhe. “Siyabona ukuthi kunoginqigonqo phezulu esicongweni selogi, njengoba kushintshana iCape Town City, iBidvest Wits, iSupersport United neKaizer Chiefs. Kodwa konke lokho kuzophela uma kuke kwaqhwakela thina ngoba sizovula igebe,” usho kanje uMosimane emasontweni ambalwa edlule.
Omunye wabadlali abanohlonze kuMamelodi Sundowns uPercy Tau, osanda kugila izimanga eqenjini lesizwe iBafana Bafana ngesikhathi linemidlalo yesihle ne-Equatorial-Guinea ne-Angola, akakaze aphumule kuyo yonke imidlalo yeSundowns selokhu kwaqala isizini. UMosimane uthi iyamkhathaza indaba kaTau ngoba bazomdinga ukuvikela isicoco seligi ngempumelelo kanjalo neseCaf Champions League.
“Akakaze aphumule nhlobo selokhu adlala amanye amaqembu ephumule siyibamba kuCaf Champions League. Kangifuni kube sengathi ngiyavika ngalokho kepha kuyangikhathaza ngoba abanye abadlali balitholile ikhefu, nguyena yedwa ongakaze aphumule. Nokho kuzokwenziwa njani? Ngiyamdinga, kufanele edlalile,” kusho uMosimane. UBrian “Spiderman” Baloyi ongumqeqeshi wonozinti kuKaizer Chiefs uthi lo mdlalo weSundowns neziMpofana kusasa, uzoqhwizisa umentshisi. UBaloyi ovimbele iChiefs kusuka ngowe-1994 washiya ngowezi-2004 esejoyina amaBrazilians uthi lo mdlalo walezi zinkunzi zombili uzoshubisa umbango wesicoco seligi.
“Amaqembu omabili ajaha isicoco seligi ngakho kuzoba ngumdlalo onzima kakhulu. Kuningi kakhulu okuzobe kusengcupheni emaqenjini omabili. Ngilindele ibhola elinenkosi phakathi, akwaziwa mbantshi kujiya,” kubeka uSpiderman kuwebsite yeChiefs. Ngokwemibiko, iSundowns kungenzeka ifolose ngesikhwishikhwishi sayo uKhama Billiat osenesikhathi egcine ukudlala ngenxa yokulimala.
UKomphela ocija iChiefs, akakaze ayishaye iSundowns selokhu athatha izintambo ngowezi-2015. Kusasa ngoMgqibelo kuzobe kungokwesihlanu uKomphela etholana phezulu naBafana Ba Style. Emidlalweni eyishumi ayidlale ne-Orlando Pirates neMamelodi Sundowns, uKomphela akakaze anqobe nowodwa emizuzwini engama-90. Irekhodi lakhe neSundowns lithi udlale imidlalo emine, washaywa kwemithathu wadlala ngokulingana kowodwa. IChiefs yagcina ukushaya amaBrazilians zingama-29 kuMbasa wezi-2015, eLucas Moripe Stadium ngegoli elilodwa eqandeni elavalelwa phakathi nguBernard Parker. Amakhosi ayesaqeqeshwa nguStuart Baxter ngaleso sikhathi.
Abadlali iChiefs eseyehlukane nabo selokhu kwahamba uBaxter uReyaad Pieterse, uTefu Mashamaite, uReneilwe Letsolonyane noMandla Masango, bonke abakuSupersport United noBaxter. Abanye ngoMatthew Rusike okuSC Sfaxien eTunisia, uSboniso Gaxa okuBidvest Wits, uKatlego Mphela okuRoyal Eagles kanye noDavid Zulu okuChippa United.
