Owamagqubu phakathi kweMali neBafana Bafana
Kuzovuka iminjunju kuBafana Bafana uma isibhekene neMali namuhla ngehora le-10 ebusuku emdlalweni wokuqala we-Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
UHugo Broos nezakhe bazoqala umkhankaso wokuzama ukuhamba ibanga elide ku-Afcon.
IBafana selokhu yagcina ukwenza kahle kulo mqhudelwano ngowe-1996 ngesikhathi idla umhlanganiso ingosokhaya.
Ngowe-1998 yakhala ngaphansi kowamanqamu eBurkina Faso. Namuhla ebusuku kuzovuka amagqubu uma elakuleli selitholene phezulu neMali kowokuqala we-Afcon.
La mazwe azobe ehlangana okwesithathu kulo mqhudelwano. Emidlalweni emibili eyedlule iBafana yaphuma enkundleni ikhihla esikaNandi.
Ngowezi-2002, iMali iyona eyayisingethe i-Afcon. Yakhipha iBafana kuma-Quarterfinal alo mqhudelwano omkhulukazi webhola e-Afrika kwelaseMali. Yaqumba iBafana ngo 2-0 kubhekwe uSeydou Keita owayemise kabi uMbulelo “Old John” Mabizela.
Amaphupho eBafana okwedlulela kowandulela amanqamu agcine eshabalale kanjalo.
IBafana yawasha ijezi yabuyela ekhaya ilambatha. Ngowezi-2013, iNingizimu Afrika yathola ithuba lesibili lokusingatha i-Afcon.
Kuma-Quarterfinal yahlangana neMali eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini. Umdlalo waphela ngo 1-1 ngemuva kwemizuzu eyi-120. Kwaphoqa ukuthi umdlalo udlulele kumaphenathi lapho iBafana yafika yawasha khona ijezi phambi kwezinkumbi zabalandeli bayo eThekwini.
Lafa kanjalo iphupho lokuhlabana ngesicoco sesibili se-Afcon. Namuhla ebusuku kuzovuka yonke le minjunju yeminyaka eyedlule lapho iBafana igilwe khona yiMali.
Elakuleli lihlalelwe yisikweletu esinzima okumele lisikhokhe saphela namuhla ebusuku.
Amathemba ezikaBroos azohlala kuPercy Tau noThemba Zwane asebephenduke izikwibhisi zeqembu lesizwe.
Owayengumqeqeshi weBafana ngesikhathi idliwa kowamanqamu eBurkina Faso ngowe-1998, uJomo Sono weluleke iqembu lesizwe ngobumqoka bokuqala kahle.
“Emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu kumqoka ukuqale kahle. Ngowe-1996 ngangisethimbeni losomaqhinga beBafana ngesikhathi inqoba i-Afcon. Nangowe-1998 ngangisebhentshini sidliwa kowamanqamu. Into emqoka wukunqoba umdlalo wokuqala. Lokho kwehlisa umthwalo emahlombe. Uya emidlalweni emibili yokugcina ukuzethemba kuphezulu, ingcindezi seyehlile kanti usuke ungathembele kumuntu ukuthi akwenzele umsebenzi. Konke kusuke kusezandleni zakho,” kuchaza uSono.
Selokhu ethathe izintambo zokucija iBafana eminyakeni emibili eyedlule uBroos usadliwe imidlalo emine kuphela njengomqeqeshi weBafana.
Uqunjwe phansi yiFrance, Morocco, Ghana neRwanda. Ngaphansi kobuholi bakhe iBafana ayigayelwa mphako.
“Kumele sizethembe. Ngiyakholwa wukuthi singahamba ibanga elide ku-Afcon. Sidlalile nosokhaya i-Ivory Coast khona e-Ivory Coast sayibamba. Sadlala neMorocco efinyelele kowandulela amanqamu eNdebe yoMhlaba sakwazi ukuyidla ekhaya. IGhana sike sayishaya ekhaya. Zonke lezi zimpawu zikhomba ukuthi sineqembu elingakwazi ukumelana namazwe amakhulu e-Afrika. Okumqoka nje wukuthi abadlali bakholelwe kubonga futhi bangabinovalo,” kulandisa uSono owayecija iBafana ngeNdebe yoMhlaba ngowezi-2002.