UFUNA ukubhodlela kwiHighlands Park umqeqeshi weChippa United, uClinton Larsen, ngemuva kokuthi ezakhe zidedele amaphuzu amathathu zihlulwa iBlack Leopards ngo 3-2 emdlalweni we-Absa Premiership ngempelasonto.
I-United iyeke amaphuzu abengayenza ithi ukuphefumula njengoba ibalwa namaqembu angase adliwe yizembe uma ingashintshi emidlalweni eyisikhombisa esele kwiligi.
EzikaLarsen zihambe phambili ngo 2-0 emdlalweni obuseThohoyandou Stadium ngamagoli kaThabo Rakhale noLerato Manzini esiwombeni sokuqala. Nokho amagoli amathathu omgadli weLeopards, uMwape Musonda awone wonke umcimbi weChili Boys.
ULarsen ephawula ngemuva komdlalo uthe uphoxekile ngokwehlulwa kodwa ubona ubungcono eqenjini lakhe.
“Yebo uyadumaza umphumela kodwa singcono kakhulu kunalokho ebesiyikhona ezinyangeni ezimbili ezedlule. Yebo besingenza kangcono ekuvimbeni amagoli kodwa ngiyabonga ngoba asizange sibhekise amakhanda phansi. Sizolokhu siqhubeka nokulwa,” kusho uLarsen ongumqeqeshi wesine ukupheka i-United kule sizini.
Isiqeqeshwe uDan Malesela, Eric Tinkler noJoel Masutha futhi akufanele kumangaze uma usihlalo uSiviwe Mpengesi engamkhomba afika ngayo uLarsen.
Emdlalweni olandelayo bazovakashelwa iHighlands Park ngeSonto eNelson Mandela Bay Stadium ngo-3.30 ntambama.
“Sizobe sidlalela ekhaya. Kumele siqinisekise ukuthi siyawenza umsebenzi. IHighlands ayenzi kahle ekuhambeni. Banamaphuzu awu-29, nginesiqiniseko abekho lapho abebefisa ukuba khona kulesi sikhathi. Bazolwela ukuthi bangene kwiTop 8. Ngokwami sidlala neqembu esilinganayo nalo. Ngike ngasho ukuthi ngaphandle kwamaqembu ayisithupha amakhulu, engibala kuwona neCape Town City, lawa amanye ayishumi singontanga nawo,” kusho uLarsen.
IHighlands, ehleli endaweni yesishiyagalolunye kwi-log, izofika emdlalweni ihambela phezulu ngemuva kokushaya iBaroka FC ngo 2-1 ngempelasonto.
IChippa yehlele endaweni yesibili ukusuka emsileni ngamaphuzu awu-20. Yehlukaniswe amaphuzu amathathu neMaritzburg United evale ekugcineni ngamaphuzu awu-17 (ngaphambi komdlalo wayizolo). I-Team of Choice ibidlala izolo neMamelodi Sundowns eHarry Gwala Stadium, eMgungundlovu.
Imidlalo ye-Absa Premiership:
Namuhla: Baroka FC v Lamontville Golden Arrows (Peter Mokaba Stadium, 7.30pm)
NgoLwesihlanu: SuperSport United v Kaizer Chiefs (Mbombela Stadium, 8pm); Bloemfontein Celtic v Bidvest Wits (Dr Molemela Stadium, 8pm); Cape Town City FC v Polokwane City (Cape Town Stadium, 8pm)
NgoMgqibelo: Free State Stars v AmaZulu FC (Goble Park, 3.30pm)
NgeSonto: Chippa United v Highlands Park (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 3.30pm)