UKUTHOLA amaphuzu ayisithupha emidlalweni emibili yokuqala ye-Absa Premiership yinto abeyifisa umqeqeshi weKaizer Chiefs, u-Ernst Middendorp kodwa engakholwa ukuthi ingenzeka.
Kungenzeka ukuthi ukungabi nethemba lokuqala isizini ngegiya eliphezulu bekungangatshazwa uMiddendorp kuphela kodwa nabalandeli bayo okuphele isizini benganeme ngeqembu labo elahlulwa amavukane kowamanqamu weNedbank Cup laphinde laqeda ngaphandle kweTop 8.
Nokho okwamanje imiphumela isawavuna Amakhosi ngemuva kokunqoba imidlalo emibili yeligi. Aqale ngokwehlula iHighlands Park ngo 3-2 kwathi ngempelasonto eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini, aguqisa iBlack
Leopards ngo 1-0. Kuyona yomibili imidlalo isitobha u-Erick Mathoho yisona esibe yiqhawe sishaya amagoli okuwina.
“Ukuqala ngamaphuzu ayisithupha yinto ebesiyifisa kodwa ngingagculisekile ngokuthi izokwenzeka ngabadlali abasha. Uma ngikhuluma ngabadlali abasha ngibala noMathoho noLebo Manyama okungabadlali abese benezinyanga bengadlali,” kusho uMiddendorp.
Yize ewamukela amaphuzu asebewaqoqile uthe usemningi umsebenzi obahlalele. Uchaze ngokuthi ngaphambi komdlalo weLeopards basebenze kanzima ekuqiniseni udonga lwabo. “Sizenzele izinto zalukhuni, bekumele sibeke umoya phansi ukuze sikwazi ukuthola igoli lesibili ebelizokwenza izinto zibe lula. Senze kangcono emuva uma kuqhathaniswa nangesonto eledlule. Maphakathi nesonto (eledlule) besisebenza ekuzihleleni nasekuxhumaneni kangcono. Ngisho nokungena kukaDaniel (Akpeyi) emapalini ngicabanga ukuthi wenze kahle,” kuchaza uMiddendorp.
U-Akpeyi kudingeke ukuthi aqale umdlalo ngemuva kokuthi uBruce Bvuma ezwe izinhlungu ngesikhathi iqembu livivela umdlalo.
Okwamanje iChiefs ibalwa namaqembu ahleli phezulu ngamaphuzu ayisithupha kwilog. Izimbangi zayo i-Orlando Pirates neMamelodi Sundowns azidlalanga kule mpelasonto njengoba beziyibambe kwiCAF Champions League. I-Pirates izodlala neSuperSport United ngoLwesithathu eMbombela Stadium. ISundowns izovakashela iChippa United eNelson Mandela Bay ngosuku olufanayo.
IChiefs isiyoze idlale kwiligi ngoAgasti 24 ivakashelwe Amatsatsantsa a Pitori eFNB Stadium.