UMQEQESHI we-Orlando Pirates, uJosef Zinnbauer akafuni ukuzifaka ingcindezi ngempumelelo yeZimnyama kwiCAF Confederation Cup.
IPirates izibekisele indawo esigabeni samaqoqo eConfederation Cup emuva kokuhlula iJwaneng Galaxy yaseBotswana ngo 4-0 uma sekuhlanganiswa imiphumela yemilenze yomibili. Ngesikhathi iPirates igcina ukufinyelela kulesi sigaba, yahamba yaze yafika kowamanqamu lapho yahlulwa khona yi-Etoile du Sahel yaseTunisia isaqeqeshwa ngu-Eric Tinkler ngo-2015.
Ngemuva kokuhlula iJwaneng Galaxy ngo 1-0 e-Orlando Stadium ngeSonto ebusuku, uZinnbauer uthe kuseva ukuthi usengasho ukuthi ukuqina kweqembu lakhe kulibeka ethubeni lempumelelo.
Izolo bekulindeleke ukuthi aqhathwe amaqembu azogadulisana esigabeni samaqoqo. Kuwona kukhona izinkunzi ezaziwayo ebholeni lase-Afrika i-Enyimba yaseNigeria, CS Sfaxien yaseTunisia, neRaja Casablanca yaseMorocco. Kukhona nomakoti iNAPSA Stars yaseZambia.
"Anginalo ulwazi ngamaqembu ase-Afrika kodwa sizokwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi siyaluthola ulwazi ngawo wonke aseqoqweni lethu. Okwamanje angazi ukuthi yimaphi aqinile nangaqinile. Ucwaningo esizolwenza luzokwenza sibone ukuthi amathuba ethu empumelelo angakanani. Ngiyazi ukuthi ibhola lase-Afrika linzima. Wonke amaqembu analo ithuba lokuyiwina iConfederation Cup. Okwethu wukuthi siqhubeke nokulwa. Asikwazi ukuzithela ngabandayo ngoba sesifike esigabeni samaqoqo," kusho uZinnbauer odabuka eGermany.
Ukuphuma kweGalaxy kulo mqhudelwano kusho ukuthi alisekho iqembu laseBotswana elisele emqhudelwaneni weCAF. IGalaxy iwele emdlalweni wokuhlungela isigaba samaqoqo eConfederation emuva kokukhishwa yiMamelodi Sundowns kubangwa indawo kwesamaqoqo eChampions League.
Umqeqeshi wayo, u-Ovis Rapotsane, uthe uyaziqhenya ngabadlali bakhe kwazise iligi imisiwe ezweni lakhe ngenxa yeCovid-19. Nokho uveze ukuthi izikhulu zidalule ukuthi izobuya emasontweni amabili ezayo.
"Sidlale neqembu elinzima i-Orlando Pirates eselidlale imidlalo engu-24. Thina sisadlale eyisithupha kuphela. Ngiyaziqhenya ngabafana bami. Alidlalwa ibhola eBotswana. Kodwa ke ngizwile ukuthi iyaqala iligi emasontweni amabili ezayo," kusho uRapotsane.
KwiCaf Champions League iKaizer Chiefs izokwamukela iHoroya yaseGuiena emdlalweni wanamuhla eFNB Stadium ngo-6 ntambama. IChiefs izobe iqala ukudlala kulo mqhudelwano kweyamaqoqo kulandela ukuvinjwa ukuya eMorocco ukuyodlala neWydad Casablanca ngemuva kokuthi leli lizwe elisenhla ne-Afrika libeke umgomo wokungavumeli abantu baseNingizimu Afrika ngenxa yeCovid-19.