USEYALIBONA iKhenani umqeqeshi we-Orlando Pirates, uMilutin “Micho”Sredojevic, obelokhu engafuni ukuyikhuluma eyombango wesicoco se-Absa Premiership.
I-Pirates inyukele esicongweni se-log yePremiership okokuqala ngoLwesibili emuva kokuthola iphuzu ibambana ngo 1-1 neBloemfontein Celtic e-Orlando Stadium. Ihlezi eqhulwini ngenxa yokuba namagoli amaningi kuneMamelodi Sundowns kwazise zibambene ngamaphuzu angu-40.
ISundowns isele ngomdlalo kwiPirates okuyibeka ethubeni lokucosha amaphuzu amathathu angayenza ompetha uma womabili la maqembu eyiwina yonke imidlalo ewasalele.
UMicho ubelokhu engafuni ukuyikhuluma indaba yokuba sethubeni lokuwina iligi. Nokho emuva komdlalo neCeltic ukuvezile ukuthi wonke amathemba abo alele emidlalweni eyisikhombisa ebasalele, okufanele noma kanjani bafele enkundleni kuyona.
“Kufanele silibhekisise iphuzu esilitholile. Besinemidlalo eyisishiyagalombili. Manje sekusele eyisikhombisa. Siphoxekile ngokuthi asiwinanga kodwa sibheke emidlalweni eyisikhombisa ezayo ezofika nokwayo. Izoba yimidlalo yamanqamu ngokwayo. Sinabadlali abazinikele ukukhipha konke abanakho kule midlalo eyisikhombisa. Ithemba lethu lilele lapho,” kusho uSredojevic.
I-Pirates ihlezi esicongweni okokuqala kule sizini. Ngesizini edlule igcine iqede endaweni yesibili emuva kokuthi iSundowns ibuye emidlalweni yeCAF Champions League yaqoqa amaphuzu ayenze yaba ngompetha beligi.
Ngaphandle kokuthi iPirates ilwela isicoco seligi, ihlalelwe wumsebenzi wokuzibekisela indawo kuma-quarterfinal weCAF Champions League. Izokwamukela iFC Platinum yaseZimbabwe e-Orlando Stadium ngoLwesihlanu ngo-9 ebusuku.
NgoMashi 16 izosonga imidlalo yamaqoqo neHoroya ekuhambeni. KweyePremiership izobuya ngeBlack Leopards ekhaya ngoMashi 29 nokuzoba ngemuva kwekhefu leFifa.
“Kungaba kuhle ukufaka iqembu laseMzansi esigabeni sama-quarterfinal. Kungasifaka umfutho ngaphambi kwekhefu leFifa. Ngaleli khefu sinezinsuku ezingu-12 zokulungiselela umdlalo wethu neBlack Leopards ekhaya. Siyiqembu eseliqoqe amaphuzu amaningi ekuhambeni awu-22.
“Inkinga yethu ukuthi sesidlale ngokulingana kakhulu, ka-10, sawina ka-10, sahlulwa kathathu. Iningi lemidlalo esiyidlale ngokulingana bekufanele siyiwine. Siyazisola ngalokhu. Kodwa lokho akufanele kusithene amandla. Kufanele sisebenzise imidlalo yeChampions League nekhefu leFifa ukuzilungiselela kahle imidlalo eyisikhombisa yokugcina ukuthi sikhiphe konke esinakho,” kusho uSredojevic.
Ngaphandle kwePirates, iSundowns nayo ilwela ukungena kuma-quaterfinal eChampions League. Izobhekana neLobi Stars yaseNigeria emdlalweni owandulela owokugcina wamaqoqo eLoftus Versfeld Stadium ngoMgqibelo ngo-9 ebusuku. ISundowns izovala neWydad Casablanca ngoMashi 16 ekuhambeni.