OWAYENGUMGADLI we-Orlando Pirates uJerry “The Legs of Thunder” Sikhosana, uthi kufanele nakanjani kulo nyaka libekhona iqembu laseNingizimu Afrika, elibuya nesicoco seConfederation of African Football (Caf) njengoba seziphonselwe kweyama-quarterfinal eChampions League neConfederation Cup.
Ukuqhathwa kwamaqembu azogadulisana kweyama-quarterfinal eChampions League neConfederation Cup, kwenziwe ngoLwesihlanu ekomkhulu leCaf eCairo, e-Egypt.
Ukuqhathwa kwamaqembu kudonse amehlo kwaqubula isasasa elikhulu ngenkathi kuboshelwa i-Al Ahly neMamelodi Sundowns kanti bese kunezinkulumo zokuthi engabe ingazala nkomoni uma zingase zihlangane mahlanze le zinkunzi zombili.
Imbangela yaleli igidigidi wukuthi i-Al Ahly yase-Egypt eqeqeshwa uPitso “Jingles” Mosimane, izobhekana okokuqala neMamelodi Sundowns selokhu uMosimane ejoyine i-Al Ahly ngaphambi kokuqala kwale sizini esuka kwiDowns.
Imidlalo yomlenze wokuqala weCaf Champions League izodlalwa ngempelasonto kaMeyi 14 no-15, kuthi eyomlenze wesibili ibe ngoMeyi 21 kuya ku-22. Kanti eyomlenze wokuqala weCaf Confederation Cup izodlalwa ngoMeyi 16, kuthi eyomlenze wesibili idlalwe ngoMeyi 23.
USikhosana uthe: “Okokuqala nje kuhlaba umxhwele kakhulu ukubona amaqembu amathathu amakhulu akithi eMzansi, efinyelela kuma-quarterfinal emiqhudelwano yeCaf. Kodwa-ke okubaluleke kakhulu njengamanje ukuthi akusafanele kujatshulelwe ukufinyelela kwala maqembu kuma-quarterfinal nje kuphela, osekufuneka manje ukuthi nakanjani elinye lawo libuye nesicoco, hhayi okunye.
“IPirates yayiwina iChampions League kusadlala thina, neSundowns nayo yayiwina ngo-2016, iPirates ifinyelele kwifayineli yeChampions League ngo-2013 nakweyeConfederation Cup ngo-2015, kanjalo futhi neSupersport ifinyelele kwifayineli yeConfederation ngo-2017. Ngakho-ke lokho kukubeka ngokusobala ukuthi amaqembu aseMzansi asenamava okudlala kule miqhudelwano, ngakho-ke iqembu laseMzansi kumele liphinde liyinqobe indebe yeCaf.”
EZimnyama yizona ezizoba ngosokhaya emlenzeni wokuqala we-quarterfinal neRaja Casablanca yaseMorocco ngoMeyi 16, e-Orlando Stadium eSoweto. Kanti iKaizer Chiefs iqhathwe neSimba Sports Club yaseTanzania, ezodlala nayo ngoMeyi 14.
Ebuzwa ngokuqhathwa kweSundowns ne-Al Ahly, uSkhosana uthe: “Kwenzeke into ebivele ifiswa abantu abaningi, nami engingomunye wabo (ehleka kancane). Akungatshazwa ukuthi ngomunye wemidlalo ebhekwe ngabomvu kula ma-quarterfinal eChampions League. Yilapho-ke engicabanga ukuthi abaqeqeshi beSundowns uManqoba Mngqithi, uRhulani (Mokwena) noSteve (Komphela) okuzomele bakhombise khona amangwevu abo.”
Aqhathwe kanje kuma-quarterfinal eCaf:
KweyeCaf Champions League:
Al Ahly v Mamelodi Sundowns; Kaizer Chiefs v Simba SC; MC Algier v Wydad Athletic Club; CR Belouizdad v Esperance de Tunis
KweyeCaf Confederation Cup:
Orlando Pirates v Raja Atheltic Club; CS Sfaxien v JS Kabylie; Pyramids v Enyimba.