LUNGILE MAJOKA
K UNGENZEKA ukuthi impumelelo yePlatinum Stars inqoba izindebe ezimbili ekuqaleni kwesizini ibe nomthelela ekutheni ingaqhubi kahle ku-Absa Premiership.
IDikwena ibihambela phezulu kuqala isizini idla isicoco seMTN 8 neseTelkom Knockout zombili ezinqobe ngemuva kokuhlula i-Orlando Pirates kweyamanqamu.
IStars ihleli endaweni yesishiyagalolunye ku-log ngemuva kwemidlalo engu-28 kanti uma ihluleka ukuyinqoba imidlalo esele kungenzeka iqede ngaphandle kwe-Top 8, okusho ukuthi ngeke isivikele isicoco se-MTN 8.
NgoMgqibelo izodlala nePirates e-Orlando Stadium, ngo-3 ntambama, okuwumdlalo okumele iwunqobe ukuzibeka ethubeni elingcono le-Top 8. Kowokugcina izovala ne-Ajax Cape Town ngoMeyi 10. IPirates ihlule iStars ngo 3-0 behlangana emzuliswaneni wokuqala kuligi.
Umqeqeshi u-Allan Freese akanayo impendulo eqondile ngesizathu esiholele ekutheni iqembu lakhe lingabi yingozi njengoba bekulindelekile emidlalweni yeligi. Leli qembu belishubise umbango wesicoco ngesizini edlule ngesikhathi iKaizer Chiefs igcina ikhale yemuka nendebe ye-Absa Premiership.
“Angazi nami, kungenzeka ukuthi lokho (ukunqoba iMTN 8 neTelkom Knockout) kube nomthelela. Impela kuyangixaka ukuthi siqale kahle isizini kodwa manje sesimane sashona phansi asiselona iqembu eliqinile,” kuphendula uFreese ebuzwa ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuthi ukuwina izicoco ezimbili kwenze abadlali bangagxila kuligi.
“Inkinga engiyibonayo kakhulu wukuhluleka kwethu ukushaya amagoli ngoba siyawakha amathuba. Lokho kusibulele futhi yikhona engifuna sisebenze kukhona kakhulu emidlalweni emibili esele kwazise kusemqoka ukuthi siqede ku-Top 8. Asilekelelani uma kuyiwa phambili okuyikhona okwenza sidlale ngamathuba ethu,” kusho uFreese.
Emdlalweni odlule kugqame enye inkinga ehlasele iDikwena. Ingenelwe amagoli amane ishaywa yiLamontville Golden Arrows ngo 4-1.
“Senze amaphutha amaningi kulo mdlalo, asidlalanga neze kahle. Akumele siphinde lawo maphutha kuPirates. Kumele silwele amaphuzu amathathu. Kuzoba umdlalo onzima ngoba alikho iqembu elingafuni ukuwina manje kodwa kumele sivale emuva bese sisebenzisa amathuba esiwakhayo.”
IDikwenza isebenzisa uSiphelele Mthembu njengomgadli emidlalweni yakamuva kodwa lo mgadli ubonakala ebuthuntu phambi kwamapali yize eqale ngegiya eliphezulu isizini isephansi waze wabizelwa eqenjini lesizwe iBafana Bafana.
UHenrico Botes noLindokuhle Mbatha balimele. URobert N’gambi noMogakolodi Ngele ngabanye abadlali abebeyithemba leStars ekushayeni amagoli kodwa nabo kubonakala lehlile izinga.
Imidlaloye ye-Absa Premiership:
NgoMgqibelo: Orlando Pirates v Platinum Stars (Orlando Stadium, 3pm); Free State Stars v Black Aces (Goble Park, 3pm); Mamelodi Sundowns v SuperSport United (Loftus Stadium, 8.15pm); Bidvest Wits v Maritzburg United (Bidvest Stadium, 8.15pm)
NgeSonto: Bloem Celtic v Ajax Cape Town (Free State Stadium, 3pm); Polokwane City v Moroka Swallows (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, 3pm)
NgoMsombuluko: AmaZulu v Golden Arrows (Moses Mabhida Stadium, 5pm)