Ibhola ekhatywayo yoMzantsi Afrika izakufunquka kwakhona kule mpelaveki ngenxa yomsebenzi omhle owenziwe yiMamelodi Sundowns.
Oku kulindeleke kwenzeke emva komdlalo omkhulu weCaf Champions League ophakathi kweSundowns neZamalek ebusuku ngeCawe e-Alexandria, eYiphutha.
Yiminyaka eliqela ibhola ye-Afrika iphantsi kolawulo lwamaqela aseYiphutha – kodwa kule impelaveki kulindeleke iMamelodi Sundowns iphakamise le ndebe okokuqala emva kokubetha iZamalek ngo’3-0 kumdlalo obutak’iintantsi eLucas Moripe Stadium ngoMgqibelo odlulileyo.
UMzantsi Afrika ufumana ithuba lokuqinisa indawo yawo kwakhona kwibhola ekhatywayo emva kokuphanza kwezinye iinzame ze-Orlando Pirates ngo’2013 emva kokutshatshela kwiCaf Champions League ngo’1995. Phantsi kukaPitso Mosimane, iDowns, inethuba elihle kakhulu lokubuya nayo le ndebe ye-Afrika.
Kumdlalo ogqithileyo iSundowns ingcangcazelise umnatha izihlandlo ezithathu kwinto engekhoyo yeZamalek – kodwa uJingles nabadlali bakhe abafuni kuvuya kuba kusekho lo mdlalo useYiphutha.
Amasandawana ayibethe kathathu iZamalek kolu khuphiswano – kwaye nakulo uzayo umdlalo inethuba lokuyingomba.
Nangona ithembele ngabalandeli iZamaleki xa idlalela ekhayeni layo – kodwa ayinawo tu amandla wokoyisa iSundowns ebaleni.
Impumelelo yabo abafunanga ukuyibhiyozela kwangoko abadlali beDowns, mhlawumbi, kungenxa yentetho yesiXhosa ethi: “Ungabokhwaza ungekaphumi ehlathini.”
Nangona kunjalo kodwa ngumlingo kuphela okanye yinto engaqhelekanga enobangela iSundowns iphulukane nale indebe.
“Amagowuli esinawo abalulekile, futhi akufakwanga nto kuthi. Lonke iqela maliqhwatyelwe izandla. Sisebenze ngokuzimisela ukuze sifike apha – kodwa kusekho umsebenzi omninzi. Soze kubelula eYiphutha. Kufuneka sibhinqele phezulu futhi,” utshilo uKhama Billiat ekuqaleni kwale veki.
UBilliat, ngomnye wabadlali abancede iSundowns kwiCaf, uyazi ukuba akululanga ukubuya nempumelelo elizweni likaFaro – kodwa uyiqonda into ekufanele bayenze bengabadlali.
“Bazakuza kuthi bengxamile, thina kufuneka sifake igowuli qha,” utshilo uBilliat.
UTeko Modise, igqala kwibhola yoMzantsi, uyangqinelana nale ndedeba yaseZimbabwe. “Kumnandi ukufikelela kumagqibela kankqoyi weCaf. Mninzi umsebenzi ophambi kwethu,” utshilo uModise.
Ukuphumelela kweSundowns iyakuba kukuzalisekiswa kwephupha lokugqugqisa i-Afrika likaPatrice Motsepe noPitso Mosimane.
Iphele njalo indlela yeSundowns kwiCAF Champions League!