NAKUBA i-Orlando Pirates ingathanda ukusheshe iyikhohlwe isizini ka-2016/2017 kodwa ukusala ngaphandle emaqenjini okuqala ayisishiyagalombili kungenza leli qembu lika-Irvin Khoza liwugubhe ngezinyembezi unyaka wesi-85 lasungulwa.
Kule sizini iPirates eke yashaywa ngo 6-1 nango 6-0 uvela kuSuperSport United nakuMamelodi Sundowns ngokwehlukana, ingase iqede ingaphandle kwamaqembu okuqala ayisishiyagalombili okokuqala ngqa kusukela kwasungulwa iPremier Soccer League (PSL).
Ukukhala ngaphansi ngo 1-0 kuBidvest Wits okulandelwe yiphuzu elilodwa emidlalweni emibili neSundowns neBloemfontein Celtic, kushovele iPirates kude neTop 8 kwazise amaqembu abanga nayo le ndawo okuyi-Ajax Cape Town (abadlala nayo kusasa) neLamontville Golden Arrows (abavala nayo isizini) bebeqoqa amaphuzu ngalesi sikhathi.
Njengoba iPirates ena-32 wamaphuzu idlala ekhaya ne-Ajax enawu-35, ukulahla amaphuzu akuvumelekile ngoba uma ikwenza lokho kuzofanele ikhohlwe ngukugcina umlando wokuba yilona kuphela iqembu ebelingakaze likhale ngaphandle kwalo mqhudelwano weTop 8 ohamba nentshontsho lika-R8 million. Lokhu kuncike kakhulu futhi nakumphumela we-Arrows edlala neCape Town City eKapa ngesikhathi esifanayo.
UThabo Matlaba odlala emuva kuBucs ukhale ngezinhlungu abazizwise abalandeli kulo nyaka okumele ngabe kujatshulwe ngawo.
“Aseneme neze singabadlali. Sishaywe kakhulu kule sizini kungafanele. Ubuhlungu obukhulu kodwa sibuzwela abalandeli bethu abahlale njalo beseseka. Nakule sizini bebelokhu beqhubeke njalo beseseka yize izinto beziphika. Kungaba yinto embi kabi uma singase sigcine ngokuthi singangeni kuTop 8 ngalo nyaka omqoka kangaka kithina, '' kusho uMatlaba.
Okwenza lo nyaka ubukeke uzoba ngonzima ukuthi kuphela amaphupho nge-Top 8 nje, neNedbank Cup okuyiyona kuphela ababambelele kuyona kuzocaca nakuyona ngeSonto njengoba bezobe bevakashele KwaMashu lapho beyobhekana khona ne-Arrows kowandulela owamanqamu ngeSonto ngo-3 ntambama, ePrincess Magogo Stadium.
Kuyadabukisa ukuthi iPirates izithola ikulolu bishi ngesizini emqoka kangaka uma uzokhumbula ukuthi iminyaka engu-75 bayigubhe ngenqwaba yezicoco iziphinda kulandelana amasizini.
Imidlalo ye-Absa Premiership:
Kusasa ngo-7.30 ebusuku: Orlando Pirates v Ajax Cape (Town Orlando Stadium); Mamelodi Sundowns v Maritzburg Utd (Lucas Moripe Stadium); Platinum Stars v Kaizer Chiefs (Royal Bafokeng Stadium); Bloem Celtic v Free State Stars (Dr. Molemela Stadium); Bidvest Wits v Polokwane City (Bidvest Stadium); Cape Town City v Golden Arrows (Athlone Stadium); Baroka FC v Highlands Park (New Peter Mokaba Stadium); Chippa United v SuperSport United (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium)