Kuphezulu ukuzithemba kwiPirates phambi kokuqala kwesizini entsha

Njengokuba kusongwa amalungiselelo wesizini entsha ekulindeleke ukuba iqale kwinyanga ezayo, ukuzithemba kufunqukile kwi’Orlando Pirates ezimisele ukwenza bhetele. IPirates ivale isizini yeDStv Premiership ka2023/24 ilele kwindawo yesibini emva kweMamelodi Sundowns. Ngaphezulu koko iphumelele indebe yeMTN8 neyeNedbank yatsho yabuyela nakwiCAF Champions League. UJose Riveiro wayengumntu ofuna ukubhukuqa iSundowns kunyaka ophelileyo kuqala isizini.

Iye yagqwidiza iPirates yakhe ngexesha elibi yashiywa yiSundowns – kodwa into encomekayo kukuba ukwazile ukuvala isizini endaweni encumisayo. Emva kokuphehlelelwa izikipha ezitsha zePirates ekuqaleni kweveki, uThabiso Monyane uzicacisile izinto ekufuneka zenziwe liqela lakhe ukuze liphakamise eyona ndebe yexabiso elayigqibela ngo2012. “Kwiisizini ezigqithileyo, isiqalo sethu khange sibe sihle. Into efunekayo ukuze siphumelele indebe yeDStv kukuphumelela imidlalo.

“Sikwazile ukuphumelela indebe yeMTN8 kwiisizini ezigqithileyo – kodwa asiqhubanga kakuhle emidlalweni yeDStv Premiership,” utshilo uMonyane ethetha neentatheli. IPirates yoyisiwe kukubambelela kwindlela ephumelele ngayo iMTN8 Cup eminyakeni egqithileyo, ngoku abadlali bazimisele ukuguqula izinto ngoba ingxaki bayibonile ukuba indawoni. “Kufuneka siphumelele imidlalo ngamaxesha onke. Siyazi ukuba kufuneka senzeni kwisizini ezayo,” utshilo uMonyane encumile.

Nakubeni kukho iinguqu ezenziweyo kwiSundowns emva kokugxothwa kukaRulani Mokwena – kodwa uMakhehleni Makhaula ucinga ukuba ngeke ziyichaphazele kakubi ezo zinto. “Amasekelamqeqeshi nabadlali basephaya. Ngeke ndithi kukho into entsha esingayilindela. Maninzi amaqela adlala kwiDStv Premiership – kodwa ke iliso lisoloko likuyo ngoba iphumelela oko. Sinawo amandla okuqubisana neSundowns. Ndingatsho ukuba sinalo iqela esingalwela ngalo indebe yeDStv,” utshilo uMakhaula.