SITHEMBISO MKHIZE
UMDLALI waMaZulu FC, uLuvuyo “Amigo” Memela, ubona isipiliyoni sabadlali beqembu lika-2020/21 sinawo amathuba okuqeda ishobolo leminyaka ewu-28 lokuhluleka ukunqoba izicoco kuleli qembu laKwaZulu-Natal.
UMemela obesehlale amasizini amahlanu kwi-Orlando Pirates, ungomunye wamasosha afike ngesikhathi esisodwa nosihlalo omusha woSuthu, uSandile Zungu.
Amanye abe nawo kweZimnyama ngoXola Mlambo no-Augustine Mulenga nabo abajoyine Usuthu. Nakuba uMemela esagijime imidlalo emithathu kuphela kuMaZulu kodwa usephenduke isithandwa sabalandeli boSuthu.
Uqale ukuziveza emdlalweni wokuqala ebhekene neqembu lakhe lakudala iBucs. Kulo mdlalo ophele ngo-1-1 utshengise ukungayihloniphi iPirates, uze washaywa ebhokisini nguFortune Makaringe kwaba yiphenathi evalelwe phakathi uLehlohonolo Majoro.
Kowokugcina weligi bebhekene neBlack Leopards, uvalele enethini amagoli amabili okunqobe ngawo uSuthu.
UMemela oyibamba ohlangothini lwesinxele utshele, Isolezwe ukuthi iqembu linesipiliyoni esiphelele sokunqobela AmaZulu izinkomishi. Uthe lisazonyuka kakhulu izinga labo lokudlala ngokuqhubeka kweligi.
UMemela odabuka eCape Town uveze ukuthi kumphatha kabi ukuthi akakaze anqobe nkomishi. Ukuwina okuthize naMaZulu kungaphendula imithandazo yakhe yeminyaka.
USuthu lwagcina ukuqukula inkomishi ngeCoca Cola Cup ngo-1992.
“Ngokubuka izinto, izinga lethu lokudlala lisazonyuka ngendlela eyisimanga, kasikahlangani ngendlela, kusazoshuba. Kunabadlali abasajwayela indlela yokudlala. Ngalesi sipiliyoni, iqembu selikulungele ukunqoba noma inkomishi eyodwa,” kubeka uMemela.
Mayelana nomgqigqo wakhe omuhle wakamuva, uthe: "Ngisizwe ukujima ngokuzikhandla ngesikhathi kuvalwe isizini. Kuthe noma sengimisiwe ukujima neBucs ngaqhubeka nokuzimisela. Bengenza lokhu ngingazi ukuthi ngiyaphi. Isifiso sami bekuwukufika ngenze kahle lapho ngiya khona.”
UMemela uqhube wathi ukufica oSuthwini abadlali abanekhono kumenzela umsebenzi ube lula. Uveze ukuthi kumphathe kabi kakhulu ukuhamba kweZimnyama.
“KwiPirates bese ngihlale isikhathi eside. Bese nginabangani, sengiluqonda nosikompilo lwakhona. Empeleni bengingazitsheli ukuthi sekufike isikhathi sokuhamba. Akusenani, impilo yomdlali ihlale isendleni. Akuthina sonke esizofana noLucky Lekgwathi noma uHappy Jele abahlale isikhathi eside kwiBucs.”
Emdlalweni olandelayo weligi AmaZulu azodlala neMamelodi Sundowns ngeSonto, eLoftus Versfeld Stadium.