MINENHLE MKHIZE
U MQEQESHI waMaZulu uSteve Barker uphumele obala ngoSifiso “Choppa” Hlanti ongeke esabonakala oSuthwini kulandela ukunqaba kwakhe inkontileka entsha kuleli qembu eligijima kuNational First Division (NFD).
Leli phephandaba libike ngodaba lukaHlanti emasontweni amathathu adlule. UBarker obekhuluma esithangamini nabezindaba eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini, izolo ekuseni ucacise ngekusasa likaHlanti kuMaZulu.
Namuhla ngo-3 ntambama AmaZulu azodudulana neThanda Royal Zulu ePrincess Magogo Stadium emdlalweni wokuzibekisela indawo ku-last 32 yeNedbank Cup.
“UHlanti akasajimi neqembu. Unikwe izicelo zenkontileka entsha kaningi. Ngemuva kwenyanga simnike izicelo zokuthi avuselele inkontileka yakhe iqembu liqonde kuyena limbuza ngempendulo yesicelo kwazise ukuthi akashongo lutho esikhathini abebekelwe sona ukuthi aphendule. Sibone kungcono ukuthi indaba yakhe sikhohlwe iyona ngemuva kwesikhathi eside silinde ukuthi asicacisele ukuthi umi kuphi. Kucacile ukuthi akazimisele ngokuhlala isikhathi eside eqenjini. Yilapho sithathe khona isinqumo sokuthi aqhubeke nempilo. Simfisela inhlanhla lapho eya khona. Udaba lwakhe lukanjalo-ke,” kusho uBarker.
UHlanti obegaqelwe yinqwaba yamaqembu agijima kuPremier Soccer League (PSL) uyibamba ngakwesokunxele emuva. Leli nxele belifunwa yiKaizer Chiefs, Free State Stars, SuperSport United ne-University of Pretoria.
Amakhosi abalekiswa ngu-R1.5 million obufunwa Usuthu ekuqaleni kwesizini.
Inkontileka kaHlanti noSuthu iphela ngoJuni. Imbangi kaHlanti, uMarc van Heerden ngeke idlale namuhla uma leli qembu selitholana naMabhubesi.
“UMarc uzobe edonsa isigwebo samakhadi. Ngaphandle kwalokho uvele ulimele. Nokho ukungabikhona kwakhe noHlanti ngeke kusiphazamise ngoba bakhona abadlali abakwaziyo ukuyibamba kule ndawo. Njengoba uHlanti ehamba noMarc elimele indaba yomdlali oyibamba ngakwesokunxele emuva sizoyibheka ngoJanuwari.
“Sifuna ukuvala unyaka ngenothi eliphezulu. Lona akuwona unyaka obe muhle eqenjini. Kungaba kuhle ukuthi siwuvale ngewini. Ngiyazi ukuthi ngeke kubelula njengoba neThanda ibophele umqeqeshi omusha uDavid Bright,” kusho uBarker.
Omunye umdlali waMaZulu ongeke abonakale namuhla nguLinda Bhengu osalimele.
Imidlalo yokuhlungela i-last 32 yeNedbank Cup:
Namuhla: Vasco Da Gama v Mbombela United (Parow Park, 3pm); Highlands Park v Milano United (Makhulong Stadium, 3pm); AmaZulu v Thanda Royal Zulu (Princess Magogo Stadium, 3pm); Baroka FC v Royal Eagles (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, 3pm); Witbank Spurs v Santos (Puma Rugby Stadium, 3pm); Moroka Swallows v FC Cape Town (Dobsonville Stadium, 3pm); African Warriors v Black Leopards (Charles Mopeli Stadium, 3pm); Mthatha Bucks v Cape Town All Stars (Mthatha Stadium, 3pm)