Iyiqale ngempumelelo eyase-Afrika iSundowns Ladies
Kusukela eminyakeni emihlanu eyedlule iMamelodi Sundowns ikhombisa ukuba iqembu elinamandla ukuwedlulwa wonke kuligi yalapha eNingizimu Afrika eyaziwa ngokuthi iDStv Premiership. Okuwubufakazi balokho iyona esikwaze ukumela elakuleli amahlandla e-Afrika, yanqoba iligi kulandelana kanye nemiqhudelwano yomkhumulajezi ngaphansi kwe-Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Ngaphandle kokuthi iyaziwa ukuthi ayitatazeli nemali uma ifuna umdlali, ikhipha intshe le mali noma kuthiwa ingabe imuphi umdlali. Kodwa kubukeka ikhona imfihlo ekhona ekutheni leli qembu liphumelele. Le mfihlo kubukeka isichatjazele neqembu labesifazane, iMamelodi Sundowns Ladies.
Izolo leli qembu liqale umshikashika wemidlalo yokuhlungela iCaf Women’s Champions League. IMamelodi Sundowns Ladies eqeqeshwa uJerry Tshabalala iyona kuphela emele iNingizimu Afrika kule midlalo ebanjelwa kwelikabhanana (eThekwini).
ISundowns idlala le midlalo nje ingoba ibe ngompetha bokuqala beSafa National Womens League esiyaziwa ngokuthi iHollywoodbets Super League. Kuyimanje iyona ezihola phambili kulogi, inamaphuzu angama-34 emdlalweni eli-12 ilandelwa i-University of Western Cape (UWC) yona enamaphuzu angama-28 emdlalweni eli-13.
Imidlalo yokuhlunga iqale izolo ngoLwesine nje izoze isongwe mhla ziyi-4 kuMandulo. Amaqembu akhona kule midlalo kukhona iDouble Action Ladies yaseBotswana, iManzini Wanderers yase-Eswatini, iLesotho Defence Force yaseLesotho, iTura Magic yaseNamibia, iGreen Buffaloes yaseZambia neBlack Rhinos Queens yona yaseZimbabwe. Amaqoqo ahlukene kabili njengoba amaqembu eyi-7.
Le midlalo idlalelwa ezinkundleni ezimbili okuyiKing Zwelithini Stadium kanye neChatsworth Stadium.
“Silwela ukuba yiqembu lokuqala (laseNingizimu Afrika) ukunqoba lo mqhudelwano (weCosafa) ukuze siphinde sibe yiqembu lokuqala ukuyimela kwiCaf. Sifuna ukwakhela egameni lokuba yiqembu elinqobayo. Sibe nenhlanhla yokuthi imidlalo yethu ibukeka izoba ntambama nokuhambisana kahle nokuthi vele nakweye ligi imidlalo yethu iba ntambama. Awekho amaqembu esizowathatha kancane. Ngijabule ngokuthi iCosafa isivulele ithuba lokuthi sibhalise abadlali abathe xaxa nokuzosiza sikwazi ukuphumuza abanye bethu.Yebo ngumqhudelwano omusha lo kodwa awukho esike siwuthathe kancane. Konke lapho sidlala khona silwela ukunqoba. Sifuna ukuyinqoba yonke le miqhudelwano ephambi kwethu kwazise kwiSundowns sizigqaja ngokunqoba. Sifuna ukunqoba.” Kusho uTshabalala.
Emdlalweni wokuqala iSundowns Ladies ivule neLesotho Defence Force, lo mdlalo uphele ngamahlanu eqandeni kunqoba elakuleli. Amagoli eSundowns Ladies avalelwe phakathi uMelinda Kgadiete, uRhoda Mulaudzi kwathi amatahthu avalelwa phakathi u-Andisiwe Mgcoyi.
Umdlalo olandelayo izotholana phezulu neDouble Action Ladies kozoba kusasa ngoMgqibelo ngehora lesibili. Kowokugcina wamaqoqo uzokuba ngoMsombuluko lapho izbhekana khona neManzini Wanderers ngelesibili.