IMAMELODI Sundowns iphikwa wumlando ngaphambi komdlalo weCAF Champions League nezinkunzi zaze-Afrika, iTP Mazembe yaseDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
ISundowns ivakashele eLubumbashi, eDRC lapho izogadulisana khona neMazembe emdlalweni ozoba seStade Du TP Mazembe kusasa ngo-3 ntambama. Lona wumdlalo wesithathu weSundowns wamaqoqo kaGroup B. AmaBrazilians azihola phambili ngamaphuzu ayisithupha kulandela ukuwina imidlalo emibili yokuvula ibhekene ne-Al Hilal yaseSudan neCR Belouizdad yase-Algeria.
ISundowns iyobhekana neMazembe eLumbashi nje, awumuhle umlando wamaqembu aseMzansi uma evakashele iMazembe. Empeleni alikho iqembu lakuleli eselake lahlula iMazembe eDRC.
Ngo-2015 iSundowns yakhala ngaphansi kwiMazembe ngo 3-1 koweChampions League, yawina ngo 1-0 eMzansi kowomlenze wesibili. Ngo-2017 iSundowns yayehlula ngo 1-0 iMazembe emdlalweni weCaf Super Cup eLoftus Versfeld Stadium.
I-Orlando Pirates iyona eyazama kuqala ukuwina eLubumbashi ngo-2002 kodwa yabanjwa ngo 1-1, yahlulwa ngo 3-1 eMzansi. Ngo-2013 eZimnyama zawina ngo 3-1 kowomlenze wokuqala kowandulela owamanqamu weChampions League ekhaya kodwa zakhala ngaphansi ngo 1-0 eLubumbashi emdlalweni umufi uSenzo Meyiwa avimba kuwona amaphenathi amabili. ISuperSport United yadlala neMazembe ngo-2015 kowamanqamu weCaf Confederation, yahlulwa ngo 2-1 eDRC, badlala ngokulingana ngo 0-0 ePitoli.
Umqeqeshi weSundowns, uRhulani Mokwena, uthe bayakwazi okufanele bakulindele kwiMazembe.
"Bayiqembu elihle kakhulu. Baqinile emuva. Sibabukile bedlala owomkhaya (Saint Eloi Lupopo), nangesikhathi bedlala ne-Al Hilal neBelouizdad. Sibonile ukuthi badlala indlela ye- 4-4-1-1. Kusafanele sizilungiselele, sihlanganise amaqhinga senze isiqiniseko sokuthi sililungele iqembu elidlala izindlela ezihlukene," kusho uMokwena.
Komunye umdlalo weChampions League, iKaizer Chiefs egcine ibhabhadiswe ngo 4-0 yiWydad Atletic yaseTunisia ngempelasonto edlule, izokwamukela iPetro de Luanda yase-Angola emdlalweni wesithathu wesigaba samaqoqo kaGroup C eFNB Stadium kusasa ngo-6 ntambama.
ULebohang Manyama uthe kufanele bavuke bazithathe balwele amaphuzu.
"Kuzoba wumdlalo onzima njengoba sizobhekana neqembu esingalazi. Sifuna ukuqoqa amaphuzu ukuze sizongena emjahweni namanye amaqembu. Wumdlalo wasekhaya, kufanele senze ngakho konke okusemandleni ukuthi sitholea amaphuzu amathathu," kusho uManyama.
Amakhosi asendaweni yesithathu kwi-log kaGroup C ngephuzu alicoshe kwiHoroya yaseGuinea emdlalweni wokuvula.
"Sinemidlalo emine esisazoyidlala esigabeni samaqoqo. Uma singayiwina yomibili eyasekhaya, sizame ukuthola amaphuzu aphelele ekuhambeni kwelinye lamaqembu, ngicabanga ukuthi sinethuba elihle ngoba wonke amaqembu asazobhekana. Ebholeni manje nomayiliphi iqembu lingalehlula elinye. Akukapheli ngathi. Sisenalo ithuba," kusho uManyama.