Umqeqeshi omusha ubaphatheleni ku-Al Ahly kweyase-Afrika
Abathandi bakanobhutshuzwayo kuleli bazobe bebheke ukuthi yenze njani i-Al Ahly yase-Egypt ezotholana phezulu neWydad Athletic Club Casablanca yaseMorocco kusasa.
Okwenza lokho ukuthi i-Al Ahly okuyiqembu elihamba phambili lapha ezwenikazi i-Afrika iqeqeshwa uPitso “Jingles” Mosimane owamangaza abaningi eshiya iMamelodi Sundowns esanda kuvuselela inkontileka nayo.
La maqembu azotholana phezulu emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala owandulela owamanqamu weCAF Champions League. Lo mdlalo okulindeleke kuwo ukuthi kuguge utshani uzobanjelwa eMohammed V Athletic Complex eMorocco ngelesi-9 kusihlwa.
UMosimane usebe sebhentshini le-Al Ahly eteketiswa ngokuthi iRed Devils emidlalweni emithathu, unqobe emibili wadlala ngokulingana kowodwa. Kulo mdlalo kulindelekile ukuba akhombise ukuthi ungumqeqeshi osezingeni eliphezulu okwaziyo ukunqoba izicoco.
Ushiye iSundowns enqobe nayo iTelkom Knockout (TKO), i-Absa Premiership kanye nendebe yeNedbank Cup. Lo mqeqeshi uhambe noCavin Johnson, uMusi Matlaba noKabelo Rangoaga.
UMosimane ekhuluma nabezindaba emva komdlalo weRed Devils nePyramids, uthe alikho iqembu elincane kuyona yonke imidlalo kumele bazibambe ziqine.
“Bekuwumdlalo onzima sibhekene neqembu elikhulu. Silahlekelwe ngumdlali esiwombeni sokuqala sadlala ngabadlali abali-10 imizuzu engama-65. Kodwa-ke, siwufake kakhulu umoya nokuyinto engijabulisile, siphinde sadlala kahle emumva sangangenelwa igoli yize bese singasaphelele,” kusho uMosimane.
Umdlali odlala phambili uMagdy Afsha, obambe iqhaza kumagoli ngokuvalela phakathi amagoli ali-16 emidlalweni engama-37 kuyo yonke imiqhudelwano, ushwebe iphenathi kodwa uMosimane wamkhuthaza.
UMosimane umvikelile u-Afsha wathi ngisho abadlali abakhulu okubalwa uLionel Messi, uDigeo Maradona, uCristiano Ronaldo bayawashweba amaphenathi.
Ekhuluma ngomdlalo wakusasa neWydad Uthe: “Umsebenzi wami ukusiza iqembu ezikhathini ezinzima futhi bazizwe benokuzethemba. Okwenzekile sekudlulile esikufunayo ukuthi sinqobe lo mdlalo ozoba nzima. Okubaluleke kakhulu kulo mdlalo ukuthi sizethembe wonke umuntu alime indima yakhe. Engikufisayo njengoba sizobe sidlala ekuhambeni ukuthi senze amathuba amaningi, lokho kuzosenza sibe namathuba okushaya amagoli nokuyinto ebalulekile.”
Yize i-Al Ahly kuyiyo esinqobe kaningi lo mqhudelwano ongafaniswa nowase-Europe, i-UEFA Champions League, kodwa uMosimane ubhekeke ukuba aqede ishobolo leminyaka eyisi-7 ingawunqobi.
IRed Devils yagcina ukunqoba lo mqhudelwano ngonyaka wezi-2013 kanti umlando uveza ukuthi isiwunqobe amahlandla ayisi-8.
Uma uMosimane engaya kowamanqamu awunqobe lo mqhudelwano kobe kusho ukuthi uwunqoba okwesibili njengoba akwazi ukuwudla neSundowns ngonyaka wezi-2016.
I-Al Ahly emdlalweni yamaQuarter-Finals yahlula iSundowns ngamagoli amathathu kwelilodwa sekubalwa yomibili imilenze. IWydad Athletic Club Casablanca kumaQuarter-Finals yehlula i -Etoile Sportive du Sahel yaseTunisia ngegoli elilodwa emlenzeni emibili.
Umlenze wesibili walo mdlalo uzoba mhla zingama-23 kwephezulu eBorg El Arab Stadium.
Umdlalo wesibili owandulela owamanqamu uzokuba ngeSonto lapho kuzotholana khona iRaja Casablanca yaseMoroco neZamalek yase-Egypt.
Umlenze wesibili walo mdlalo uzokuba ngoMgqibelo wamhla zingama-24 kwephezulu, eBorg El Arab Stadium.