Zakhele Xaba
UMQEQESHI weKaizer Chiefs, u-Ernst Middendorp, udalule isizathu sokudedelwa kukaGeorge Maluleka okhululwe yiqembu emuva kokusayina inkontileka yesibambiso nezimbangi iMamelodi Sundowns.
Inkontileka kaMaluleka neChiefs kade iphela ngoJuni kodwa Amakhosi, ngokomyalelo weFifa, abenalo ilungelo lokuxoxisana naye ukuthi adlale kuze kuphele imidlalo yesizini ka-2019/2020. Kushaqeke iningi ngesikhathi iChiefs imemezela ukuthi sekuhlukane inhloko nesixhanti phakathi kwayo nalo mdlali obebalulekile esikimini sikaMiddendorp abheke ukuwina ngaso iligi.
NgoJanuwari lo mdlali wasayina inkontileka yesibambiso neSundowns. Ngemuva kokukhululwa iChiefs, ube esesayina egcwele kumaBrazilians, amnikeze iminyaka emithathu. Uzoze aqale ukubonakala kuwona ngesizini ezayo.
“Sayixoxa le ndaba ngaphakathi eqenjini, nomdlali uqobo lwakhe wayekhona nabaphathi, safinyelela esiphethweni. Yisimo esibucayi. Ukuba iqembu lakhe elisha bekuyiSuperSport United okungenani noma elinye iqembu esingabangi nalo isicoco seligi njengoba kuyophela isizini, ngabe kwenzeka okuhlukile. Kodwa ukwazi ukuthi iqembu lakhe elisha yiMamelodi Sundowns, kwavele kwacaca ukuthi kufanele sithathe isinqumo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi kubuhlungu ngoba ubengenye yezinsika kusukela kuqala isizini, sakha isisekelo,” kusho uMiddendorp.
Ukuthi isikhala sikaMaluleka sikhona yini enkabeni yenkundla kwiChiefs, kuzocaca namuhla uma isibhekene neBidvest Wits emdlalweni we-Absa Premiership e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto, ngo-6 ntambama.
IWits, esidayisiwe, isanda kukhishwa yiSundowns ngo 3-2 kowandulela owamanqamu weNedbank Cup. IChiefs idinga amaphuzu ukuze iqhubeke nokuhlala esicongweni ngegebe elingcono.
“Ngibabonile bedlala neSundowns. Ngiyavumelana nomqeqeshi uGavin Hunt ngokuthi bekungabafanele ukuhlulwa. Ngicabanga ukuthi akufanele sithathe ngokuthi iqembu selidayisiwe ngakho abadlali abasenakho ukuzinikela. Abadlali bafuna ukuqeda ngegiya eliphezulu, bafuna ukuzibonakalisa ukuze bathole izinkontileka kwamanye amaqembu. Kufanele siqaphele futhi sizobambe ziqine ukuze sizowina,” kusho uMiddendorp.