Isizwe sama-Arab, iMorocco, siphoxekile emva kokubethwa yiFrance ngamagowuli amabini eqandeni (2-0) emdlalweni weFifa World Cup obubanjelwe eAl Bayt Stadium kubusuku banamhlanje. Noxa indlela yeMorocco iphelile kwitumente yehlabathi namhlanje – kodwa abadlali bayo kufanele bazingombe izifuba ngoba benze umsebenzi omhle kakhulu. Imbali eyenziwe yiMorocco kwilizwe laseQatar yinto eyakuhlala isisibonelo eminyakeni emininzi ezayo kumazwe eAfrika asokolayo kutumente yehlabathi. Umdlalo utake iintlantsi zisuka kwisigaba sokuqala ngoba kwimidlalo enjengalo wanamhlanje, iqela elifake igowuli kuqala – liye lisebenzele ukukhusela into elinayo.
Izinto zonakele kwangomzuzu wesine kwisigaba sokuqala ngethuba uTheo Hernandez ebhakuzelisa umnatha ngebhola eqale yadlalwa nguKylian Mbappe noGriezmann. Kuye kwanyanzeleka ukuba abadlali beMorocco bazame indlela yokuziphindisela. Okuthe kwaphazamisa isicwangciso somqeqeshi weMorocco ibe kukonzakala kwexhadi lakhe, uRomain Saiss, ophume kwisigaba sokuqala kwangena uSelim Amallah. Bekufanele ukuba iFrance iye kwixesha lokuphumla ihamba phambili ngamagowuli amabini. Ayikwazanga ngoba u-Olivier Giroud woyiswe kukufaka ibhola emnatheni abantu phambi kwakhe bethe waca phantsi emva kokuxikixwa nguMbappe othe gqi esisiphekepheke kwicala lasenxele.
Ebekhona amathuba okufumana igowuli okanye amagowuli – kodwa iMorocco ayikwazanga ukuwasebenzisa. Ngaphandle kokuyidlela indlala iMorocco, umdlalo ibingowayo. Ibhola ibiyibeka phantsi kakuhle ihlasela ngamadoda afana noHakim Ziyach. Eyona nto ebembi ngomdlalo wayo kukuphosa amathuba acacileyo. Ibihexa iFrance emva – kodwa ngoba inamava, iyazile into efunekayo ukuze iphumelele umdlalo. Phambi kokuphela komdlalo, uMbappe wenze adume ngazo. Ushiye amadoda ezizigede ebhokisini wanika ibhola uRandal Kolo Muani wayifaka emnatheni. Yaphumelela iFrance ngo’2-0. Ngoku iza kudibana neArgentina ngeCawe emva kokuba ibethe iCroatia ngo’3-0 izolo.
ABafana Bafana bayingombe yanaba iCongo Brazzaville, eGqeberha!