IMAMELODI Sundowns igabe ngamava ukuzibekisela indawo esigabeni samaqoqo emqhudelwaneni iCaf Champions League.
ISundowns izobhekana neJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala ozoba sekuhambeni namhlanje ntambama. Owomlenze wesibili uzoba seMzansi ngoJanuwari 6. Iqembu elizowina lizongena esigabeni samaqoqo eChampions League. ISundowns isemanzini kulandela ukushona komdlali wayo uMotjeka Madisha olandele u-Anele Ngcongca obebolekiswe kuMaZulu FC. Kwenzeka konke lokhu nje iSundowns ihlezi esicongweni se-log yeDStv Premiership.
Omunye wabaqeqeshi beSundowns, uRhulani Mokwena, uthe noma bengekho esimeni esihle ngokomoya kodwa bazoyibamba ishisa.
"IPSL neChampions League kuhlukene kakhulu. Kolunye uhlangothi sinomuzwa wokuthi asikaze sihlulwe futhi sihlezi esicongweni se-log. Kuyaziwa ukuthi akukho esisakuwinile. Yingakho kufanele sibhekane nesimo njengesihlukile, sigxilise imiqondo yethu emidlalweni emibili ezayo njengeyehlukile. Kufanele senze isiqiniseko sokuthi sithola imiphumela emihle eBotswana, sisebenzise isipiliyoni esinaso siyiqembu ukuze sidlulele esigabeni samaqoqo, " kusho uMokwena.
Ubekhuluma ngemuva kokuthi iSundowns ithole iphuzu ibanjwa iLamontville Golden Arrows ngo 1-1 emdlalweni weDStv Premiership ngempelasonto.
"IGalaxy iyiqembu elihle kodwa sizoyithola i-video yomdlalo wabo ethimbeni lethu labacubunguli ebeliyoyibuka ukuze siqinisekise ukuthi sizilungiselele ngokuphelele. Kuzoba wumdlalo onzima. Uyabona ngisho nangeqembu lesizwe ukuthi kukhona ukukhula ebholeni laseBotswana. Kufanele siqinisekise ukuthi sizilungiselele ngempela. Sizobhekana nobunzima kodwa siyakwazi okufanele sikwenze. Singangaba sesimeni esihle ngokomphefumulo kodwa siyakwazi okufanele sikwenze. Kufanele sizigqugquzele, sibambane sigxile ekutholeni imiphumela."
Kusukela kushone uMadisha, iSundowns isidlale imidlalo emibili. Iwine kwiTS Galaxy njengoba isidlale ngokulingana ne-Arrows ngempelasonto edlule.
Ngaphezu kokuthi iSundowns iya kulo mdlalo ingakahlulwa kwiligi, igabe nangesipiliyoni seminyaka ihamba ibanga elide kwiChampions League ngaphansi kobengumqeqeshi uPitso Mosimane.
Sekusemahlombe kaMokwena nabambisene nabo uManqoba Mngqithi noSteve Komphela ukuqinisekisa ukuthi leli qembu elinqobe iChampions League ngo-2016, aliliwashi ijezi ekuseni.
IGalaxy esungulwe ngo-2015 isadlale kanye kweyeCaf, iyibamba kwiConfederation Cup ngo-2018. Yaphuma emzuliswaneni wokuqala wokuhlungela amaqoqo.