Emva kokungaphumeleli emidlalweni emibini, iSekhukhune United ifumene amanqaku apheleleyo namhlanje. Oku kwenzeke emva kokuba ibethe iRichards Bay ngo’2-0 emdlalweni weDStv Premiership obubanjelwe ePeter Mokaba Stadium emalanga namhlanje. Amanqaku amathathu azuzwe liqela likaBrandon Truter alibeke kwindawo yesithandathu kwiDStv Premiership. Kanti kwelinye icala, ukubethwa kweRichards Bay kubi ngoba ityhalelwe kwindawo yesine yi’Orlando Pirates ebethe iMaritzburg United ngamagowuli amabini kwelinye emdlalweni obusebusuku izolo e’Orlando Stadium.
Njengeqela ebelidlalela ekhaya, iSekhukhune iqale yankqonkqoza – kodwa iinzame zikaPogiso Mahlangu zokufumana igowuli aziphumelelanga. Kuyiwe kwixesha lokuphumla kungekho qela elikwazileyo ukubhalisa ebhodini nakubeni abadlali abafana noLuvuyo Memela bakhe bazama ukufumana igowuli. Isigaba sokuqala somdlalo siphele kungekho gowuli ngoba bekungekho qela elifuna ukulahlekelwa. Njengokuba isizini ikwisigaba sesibini, onke amaqela adlalela ukuphumelela.
Yiyo lo nto kuye kwanyanzeleka kwisigaba sesibini ukuba amaqela anyuse umxakatho. Emva kwemizuzu emine isigaba sesibini siqalile, uPagiso Mahlangu ubhakuzelise umnatha yatsho yahamba phambili iSekhukhune United eyafumana ukomelela ukusukela oko kwafika uBrandon Truter. UMahlangu ufake emnatheni ibhola abeyinikelwe nguNyiko Mobbie – oye wachonga njengomdlali oqaqambileyo ekupheleni komdlalo. Kuye kwathi xibilili izibilini kwabeSekhukhune ebinethutyana ingasaphumeleli.
Emva kwemizuzu embalwa, uChibuike Ohizu ufake igowuli lesibini lomdlalo, uSammy Seabi uve ngobaliselwa ukuba ibhola ingene njani. Iindwendwe zizamile ukuqinisa umdlalo wazo ngelizama indlela yokufumana amagowuli – kodwa kuye akwalunga kwade kwaphela umdlalo. Noxa isusiwe kwindawo yesibini ebiyibambe ixesha elide iRichards Bay – kodwa ithuba lokuqokelela amanqaku lisekhona. Angeke kube lula ngoba amaqela afana nePirates, iChiefs neSuperSport alwela ukubuyela kwimidlalo yeCAF Champions League kwisizini ezayo.
Lumka Oliphant: ‘Yekani utywala’