Ixoxo liyazigxumela kubangwa intuba yePremier Soccer League
UKUSALA kwemidlalo eyisi-8 ngaphambi kokuthi kusongwe le sizini kuNational First Division (NFD) kucacisa ngokusobala ukuthi alikho iqembu elizocabangela elinye nanoma kuthiwa amaqembu aqhamuka esifundazweni esisodwa. Okwenza lokho yingoba amanye amaqembu anezifi so ezehlukene muva nje, kukhona afuna ukuvika izembe kube khona afuna ukuzibekela indawo yokudlala amaplay-off okungena ku-Absa Premiership ngesizini ezayo.
Ngeledlule kwenzekile eChatsworth Stadium lapho kade kutholene khona iRoyal Eagles neReal Kings kowomkhaya basesifundazweni iKwaZulu-Natal, lo mdlalo ugcine unqotshwe i-Eagles ngelilodwa eqandeni. Kulo mdlalo bekubhekeke ukuthi ezikaSazi Dlamini (i-Eagles) zingayibhekelela iKings ecijwa uSimo Dladla njengoba ivale emsileni kodwa lutho.
Kule mpelasonto kuzophinde kutholane omkhaya bakulesi sifundazwe iKwaZulu-Natal, lowo mdlalo uzoba phakathi kweRichards Bay FC no- Uthongathi FC. Lo mdlalo uzobanjelwa ePrincess Magogo Stadium, kusasa ligamenxe elesi-3 ntambama.
IBAYEDE ibe nengxoxo ekhethekile nesitobha seRichards uSandile Mthethwa ngaphambi kwalo mdlalo, nalapho khona ebekhuluma ngokubaluleka kwawo.
“Kuyinto eyejwayelekile ukuthi uma kuzobhekana omkhaya kube umdlalo oshubile, kodwa lo mdlalo ngeke ushube ngenxa yalokho kuphela okusemqoka ukuthi oyedwa wethu kumele nakanjani anqobe. Lowo ozonqoba uzobe esenawo amathuba amakhulu okuthi adlale amaplay-off okungena ku-Absa Premiership. Lo mdlalo ongeke ube lula neze ngiwuthatha njengowamanqamu ngoba siyafuna nakanjani ukuthi sidlale imidlalo yokuhlungela ukungena kuligi enkulu kuleli, kwazi bani uma singena kungenzeka siyinqobe leyo mdlalo,” kulandisa uMthethwa.
INatal Rich Boyz (iRichards Bay) emva kwemidlalo engama-22 ilele endaweni yesihlanu kulogi ngamaphuzu angama-35, uThongathi lona lusendaweni yesithupha ngamaphuzu angama-32 emidlalweni engama-22. Iqembu okuyilo elizihola phambili kulogi iStellenbosch FC ngamaphuzu angama-45, lokho kucacisa ukuthi la maqembu kunzima ukuthi asengathatha iligi kunalokho asengadlala amaplay-off.
UMthethwa ongowokudabuka eMpangeni usedlale imidlalo eli-17 yeNFD washaya amagoli amane, uphinde wadlala emibili yeNedbank Cup.
Ephawula ngakufi sayo muva nje uthe: “Kungangithokozisa kakhulu uma iqembu elilodwa lingangena ku-Absa Premiership, ngifi sa lokho nje angifi si ukuthi kube khona iqembu elidlilwa izembe eliqhamuka lapha KwaZulu-Natal. Ngizizwa ngikhule ngokwenele ukuthi sengingabumela ubunzima beligi enkulu ngalokho ngesizini ezayo ngingalithokozela ithuba lokuthi ngidlale ku-Orlando Pirates engisenenkontileka nayo,” kusho uMthethwa ozifela ngoThulani Hlatshwayo weBidvest Wits noJerome Boateng weBayern Munich yaseGermany.
Leli phephandaba liphinde lakhuluma noNkosinathi Chili ongomunye wezikhulu zoThongathi FC, naye obephawula ngalo mdlalo.
“Kuyasijabulisa kakhulu ukuthi lo mdlalo sizowudlalela ePrincess Magogo Stadium, okuyinkundla osekunesikhathi eside sagcina ukudlala kuyona njengoba ibilungiswa. Siya kulo mdlalo nje siyazi ukuthi yisikhathi esinzima kuwona wonke umuntu lesi njengoba sonke siwadinga amaphuzu. Okwenzekile emidlalweni edlule sesikhohliwe yikho sibheke phambili njengoba sisalelwe imidlalo eyisi-8 amaphuzu ali-15 nangaphezulu angasilekelela kakhulu ekutheni sisonge isizini sisendaweni engcono,” kubeka uChili.
