Ukaputeni weDowns uthembisa i-Al-Ahli umdlalo onzima koweFIFA Cup
SIHLE NGUBO
Uthembisa ukuthi bazoyigijimisa izwe kahle i-Al-Ahli Saudi FC, ukaputeni weMamelodi Sundowns, uThemba “Mshishi” Zwane, emdlalweni weFIFa Intercontinental Cup, eLoftus Stadium, ePitoli, ngoMgqibelo ngo-3 ntambama.
Ompetha base-Afrika, iSundowns, kubhekeke ukuthi bazizwe amandla nge-Al Ahli, yaseSaudi Arabia, engompetha base-Asia iminyaka emibili kulandelana.
Lona umdlalo omkhulu kuBafana Bas’tyle asebezibonakalise kaningi ukuthi bafuna ukukhonya e-Afrika.
Ngonyaka odlule iSundowns iqophe umlando ngokuba yiqembu lokuqala laseNingizimu Afrika ukudlala kwiNdebe yoMhlaba yamaqembu (iFIFA Club World Cup) e-USA.
Lapha bekuhlangene izinkunzi zamaqembu eziphuma kumazwekazi ehlukene emhlabeni.
Sekungumlando ukuthi umhlanganiso ugcine udliwe yiChelsea FC, yase-England, ngemuva kokubhaxabula iPSG, yaseFrance, ngo 3-0 kowamanqamu.
ISundowns iqukule indebe yeCAF Champions League ngemuva kokushaya i-AS FAR, yaseMorocco, ngo 2-1, sekuhlanganiswe imilenze emibili kowamanqamu.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi i-Al-Ahli ishaye iMachilda Zelvia kowamanqamu, yaqukula i-AFC Champions League Elite.
Manje sekumele kubonakele ingqongqo kula maqembu, njengoba ezohlangana kwi-Intercontinental Cup ngoMgqibelo ePitoli.
UZwane, ongomunye wabadlali abanamava kwiDowns, uthi ayize bayilindele i-Al-Ahli.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi leli yisonto elikhulu kithina njengeqembu. Abafana (abadlali) banokuzethemba futhi bawulangazelele umdlalo,” kusho uZwane.
“Uyezwa nje noma ungena ezindlini zokushintshela, ukuthi wonke umuntu uwubheke ngabomvu umdlalo.”
ISundowns idlala kahle kulezi zinsuku, okufakazelwa ukuthi ihlezi esicongweni kwilogi yeBetway Premiership.
Kubhoke abafana abasebancane, uZwane akholwa ukuthi bangakwazi ukumelana neqembu elikhulu njengompetha base-Asia.
“Kumayelana nokubakhumbuza ukubaluleka komdlalo. Ukuthi yini esingayenza ukuze sinqobe indebe,” kuqhuba lo mdlali weBafana Bafana.
“Kumele sibakhumbuze ukuthi sizama ukwakha owethu umlando njengeqembu.”
Nokho uZwane uyazi ukuthi ngeke kube lula ukubhekana ne-Al-Ahli, yize bezobe bedlalela ekhaya.
“Siyazi ukuthi bayiqembu elikhulu kwiligi yabo, ngakho ngeke kube umdlalo olula. Kodwa uma sizibheka nathi njengeqembu siyazi ukuthi singabanika inselelo.”
Leli qembu laseSaudi Arabia, liholwa ukaputeni u-Edouard Mendy, waseSenegal, owake waba unozinti weChelsea.
Mayelana noMendy, uZwane uthe: “Siyakubongela ngakho konke. Siyabonga ngokugqugquzela abadlali base-Afrika yonke. Yinto esiyijabulelayo le oyenzile.”
Nokho uZwane uphethe ngokuthi uma sekungenwa enkundleni ngoMgqibelo, buzophela nya ubungani nokuncomana.
