ZAKHELE XABA
I-RICHARDS Bay FC seyiqinise iqembu ngomdlali wasesiswini uTshepo Liphoko onqamule inkontileka neRoyal AM emasontweni adlule.
IBay kuvalelwe ukuphela konyaka u-2021 ihlezi phezulu kwi-log yeGladAfrica Championship ngamaphuzu angu-32 emuva kwemidlalo engu-17. Ihlukaniswe ngamagoli neJDR ehlezi ezithendeni zayo. Leli phephandaba lithole ukuthi iNatal Rich Boys isayinise uLiphoko ngenhloso yokuqinisa iqembu kwazise ungumdlali onesipiliyoni seGladAfrica.
ULiphoko, osayine inkontileka yezinyanga ezingu-18 neBay, ukhulele ezinhlakeni ze-Orlando Pirates wagcina engukaputeni ka-Under 19. KwiDStv Premiership udlale kuMaZulu nakwiLamontville Golden Arrows.
ULiphoko uyena owashaya igoli okwakucatshangwa ukuthi selifake iRoyal AM kwiPremiership ngaphambi kokuvumbuka kwecala eligcine liyigqigqisa ezinkantolo.
Usihlalo weBay, uJomo Biyela, uthe babheke lukhulu kuLiphoko njengoba belwela ukwenyukela kwiPremiership. Ngesizini edlule, leli qembu lihluleke kweyokuhlungela.
"Ngicabanga ukuthi uLiphoko uzosisiza kakhulu njengoba sibonile enza eqenjini asuka kulona. Sibheke ukuthi afake isandla ekutheni kufezeke isifiso sethu sokwenyukela kwiPremiership. Inhloso yethu ngokulanda abanye abadlali wukuthi sinyuke kulokhu," kusho uBiyela.
"Nginethemba lokuthi iqembu lizobuya liqhubeke lapho eligcine khona ngaphambi kokuphela konyaka odlule. Kukhona esikufundile ngokwehluleka emidlalweni yokuhlunga ngesizini edlule. Kulokhu yenyuke kakhulu indlela iqembu elidlala ngayo. Sithembele kulokho. Kule midlalo engu-13 singakwazi ukunyukela kwiPremiership."
Imenenja kaLiphoko, uLizwe Mthethwa, ithe bekufanele lo mdlali bamkhiphe enkingeni yokungadlali kwiRoyal AM. ULiphoko ungomunye wabashaywe ngesithende emuva kokufika kwabadlali abathengwe neBloemfontein Celtic. Umqeqeshi uJohn Maduka akazange abanike ithuba.
"Ubesalelwe yiminyaka emibili enkontilekeni yakhe neRoyal AM. Kodwa ubengekho ezinhlelweni zomqeqeshi. Umqeqeshi ufike nabadlali asuka nabo kwiCeltic ngakho bekunzima ukudlalisa abebekade bekwiGladAfrica, angabazi. Umsebenzi wakhe naye usengcupheni, kudingeka awine. Ensimini liyaziwa ikhono likaTshepo, akukho ukulingabaza. Akayena umdlali oyivilaphayo. Uma nje ejabule uzokwenzela umsebenzi," kusho uMthethwa.