MTN8: UStuart Baxter uncwase ukuvula ngeMamelodi Sundowns!

Amaqela asibhoza akwiTop 8 aza kulwela indebe yeMTN 8 nezizigidi ezisibhozo zerandi (R8-m) emidlalweni ngempelaveki. Imidlalo yeMTN 8 itshayelela isizini entsha yeDStv Premiership eza kuqala kwiveki ezayo. Owona mdlalo ojongwe ngamehlo abomvu uphakathi kweMamelodi Sundowns neKaizer Chiefs ngentsimbi yesithathu emalanga ngeCawe, eLucas Moripe Stadium. Kulapho iSundowns iza kuzama khona ukufumana isiqalo esihle sendebe engekayiphumeleli nangona ikwazile ukuziphindaphinda ezinye iindebe kule minyaka elishumi igqithileyo. Umqeqeshi weDowns wesibini, uRulani Mokwena, uwuncomile umsebenzi owenziwe ngabadlali bakhe phambi kokuqala kwesizini watsho esongeza ngelithi bafuna ukwakha iqela eliza kuwasokolisa kakhulu amanye amaqela. “Amalungiselelo wesizini entsha ahambe kakuhle. Esikwenzayo ngoku kukunceda abadlali abatsha ukuze bakwazi ukuqhelana nendlela esisebenza ngayo,” utshilo uMokwena.

Amasandawana afumene abadlali abaliqela kwaye kulindeleke athathe apho ayeke khona kwisizini egqithileyo ayivale ngendlela encumisayo. “Sifuna ukuba liqela elomeleleyo. Iqela eliza kubetha amanye amaqela ngeendlela ezininzi. Umgama esesiwuhambile uyasonelisa,” utshilo uMokwena. Emva kweminyaka engasafumani iindebe, Amakhosi akhwebe uStuart Baxter ukuze akwazi ukubuyisa isidima sawo. Okuhle ngeChiefs kukuba iya emdlalweni ikhuthazekile emva kokubetha iPirates emdlalweni weCarling Black Label Cup kwiveki ephelileyo. Akukho bani owaziyo kodwa ukuba ingayibetha na iSundowns ukuze inike ithemba abalandeli bayo abanxanelwe indebe. UBaxter uvumile ukuba iqela lakhe alikagqibeleli – kodwa ukuphumelela ingayinto entle. “Abadlali basebenza ngokuzimisela enkampini nangona singenalo kakuhle ixesha. Kunokwenzeka ukuhlangana kweqela kuthatha iiveki – kodwa ukuba singadlala kakuhle ngeCawe, mhlawumbi singalwela iindebe,” uthsilo uBaxter.

Komnye umdlalo ngeCawe, AmaZulu adibana neCape Town City ngentsimbi yesithandathu emalanga eMoses Mabhida Stadium. Kwakutshayelela iGolden Arrows neSuperSport emdlalweni oyakube usePrincess Magogo Stadium ngo-15:00 ngoMgqibelo. Omnye umdlalo omkhulu ngophakathi kwe-Orlando Pirates neSwallows FC. Lo mdlalo ubekelwe intsimbi yesithandathu emalanga e-Orlando Stadium. Iinyoni zaseDube ziza kufuna ukuzicacisa emva kokudlala kakuhle kwisizini ephelileyo – kanti yona iPirates ifuna ukukhusela indebe yayo yokuqala phantsi kukaJosef Zinnbauer.