I-Downs isengcupheni yokuqeda isizini ishwiba izandla
SIHLE NGUBO
IMamelodi Sundowns isengcupheni yokuqeda isizini ishwiba izandla, ingenayo neyodwa indebe, okokuqala kumasizini ayisishiyagalombili.
Abafana BaStyle kubukeka bezohluleka ukuvikela indebe yeBetway Premiership asebeyiqukule amasizini ayisishiyagalombili elandelana.
EzikaMiguel Cardoso zithelwe othulini yiTS Galaxy ngo 3-2, ngoLwesibili eMbombela Stadium, emdlalweni weligi obekumele ziwunqobe nakanjani, ukuze zizinike ithuba lokuvikela isicoco seligi.
Lokhu kuhlulwa kweSundowns kufane nokuthi inike i-Orlando Pirates isicoco seligi ngogqoko, yase yengeza ngefumuka elikhephuka ingwebu.
IBucs isidinga ukunqoba umdlalo owodwa kuphela kwemibili esele, ukuze ibe ngompetha beligi besizini ka-2025/2026.
IPirates izobhekana neDurban City emdlalweni wePremiership e-Orlando Amstel Arena, ngoMgqibelo ngo-3 ntambama.
Emdlalweni wokugcina izobhekana ne-Orbit College ngoMeyi 23, nokuyilapho kulindeleke ukuthi inikwe ngokusemthethweni indebe yeBetway Premiership.
Mancane amathuba okuthi iBucs ingehluleka ukunqoba yomibili le midlalo, bese ifinyelele emaphuzwini angu-68, nokuyilapho iSundowns iqede khona.
Okuhlalukile ngesizini yeSundowns ukuthi yize ishaywe imidlalo emibili kuphela kodwa idedele amagoli amaningi kule sizini.
Akuvamisile ukubona iSundowns idedela amagoli angu-21, okuyinto ebiyigwema bese ikhale yemuke nesicoco seligi kusasele imidlalo eminingi.
Okunye okugqame ngeSundowns kule sizini egoqwayo ukuthi idlale imidlalo eyisishiyagalombili ngokulingana, okuyinto engavamisile ukuyivumela.
Ukwenza kangcono kweKaizer Chiefs kule sizini, nakho kube nomthelela omkhulu ekutheni iSundowns izithole isengcupheni yokuphuthwa isicoco seligi.
Yize iChiefs ingayishayanga iSundowns kodwa iyiphuthisele ngamaphuzu amane abalulekile kuyona.
ISundowns neChiefs bababambane ngo 0-0 emdlalweni womzuliswano wokuqala, kwathi ngeledlule kwaba ngu 1-1.
Kumasizini edlule iSundowns ibizitamuzela amaphuzu kwiChiefs, okuyinto ehlulekile ukuyenza kulokhu.
Ngemuva komdlalo neRockets, umqeqeshi weDowns, uCardoso, uzwakale evuma ukuthi sebeyidedelile iligi.
“Angikholwa ukuthi ukhona oseke wazama ukudlala imidlalo eyisikhombisa ezinsukwini ezingu-21,” kusho uCardoso kwiSuperSport TV ngemuva komdlalo.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi ikhalenda iyona esishayile. Nokho kumele sivuke sizithathe ngoba sidlala umdlalo wamanqamu weChampions League ezinsukwini ezine.
“Siyazi ukuthi izimbangi zethu ziphumule manje, zisosukwini lwesine lokuphumula. Kodwa kumele siqaphele ukuthi sikhuluma sithini manje.”
ISundowns izobhekana ne-AS FAR emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala wamanqamu weCAF Champions League, eLoftus Stadium, ePitoli, ngoMgqibelo ngo-6 ntambama.
Iyona indebe esele ukuthi iqukulwe yileli qembu laseChloorkop. Nokho kubukeka kuzoba umqansa ikakhulukazi emlenzeni wesibili eMorocco ngempelasonto ezayo.
“Ngenza isiphakamiso eqenjini ukuthi ‘sipotoze’ labo abaphethe ukuze basizwele, ukuze sibe sesimeni esihle sokudlala owamanqamu,” kuqhuba uCardoso.
“Nokho lokho akwenzekanga ngakho kumele sibone ukuthi senzenjani.
“Ukube sinqobe lo mdlalo besizohlanganisa amaphuzu (angu-71) obekuzoba amaningi esithathu emlandweni weqembu.
“Bengifuna ukuba kuleso simo…kodwa njengoba ngishilo ekuqaleni, sishaywe yikhalenda.”
