Ukuphumelela umdlalo kukona kubalulekileyo kwiDowns, utsho uPeter Shalulile

Kule sizini, akukho nto ebaluleke kwiMamelodi Sundowns njengokukhusela iindebe zayo emva kokuthatha zonke ezikhoyo kwiPSL kwisizini egqithileyo. Yiyo lo nto kubaluleke kakhulu kwiSundowns ukuyibetha i-Orlando Pirates emdlalweni weMTN8 ekulindeleke utshise bhe e-Orlando Stadium namhlanje ngentsimbi yesithathu emalanga. Izitshovutshovu zabadlali ezibini, uNeo Maema noPeter Shalulile, zigxininise ukubaluleka kwempumelelo kuyo yonke imidlalo edlalwa yiSundowns. UMaema ebethetha neentatheni phambi komdlalo ojongwe ngamehlo abomvu ngabalandeli bebhola abathenge amatikiti omdlalo aphela izolo. Amasandawana azityel’itheko kwiPirates kwisizini egqithileyo – kodwa uJose Riveiro ubethe ngenqindi phantsi ngelithi okwenzeke emidlalweni okugqithileyo akunalo ifuthe emdlalweni wanamhlanje.

“Ukuphumelela yonke imidlalo, lisiko apha kwiiSundowns. Sizimisele ukuyiphumelela yomibini imidlalo (yeMTN8 Cup) esiza kuyidlala nePirates,” utshilo uMaema. Kanti yena uPeter Shalulile, odume ngokufaka amagowuli ngendlela emangalisayo, uthe ukudlala kabini nePirates kuza kuba yingxaki – kodwa wathembisa ngelithi iDowns iza kuyiphuthuma indlela yayo efaka ngayo amagowuli ethande ukuphuncuka kule sizini. “Oku kudlalela ekhaya nakude nekhaya kuyingxaki. Kodwa sizimisele ukuya emdlalweni ngenjongo yokuphumelela.

“Yomelele iPirates emva kodwa njengeentshatsheli, siza kunkqonkqoza kude kungene amagowuli,” utshilo uShalulile ohamba phambili nakule isizini ngokufaka amagowuli. Siza kuyihlonipha iPirates siza kulwa ngako konke siyiSundowns. Ngethamsanqa, sikwazile ukufaka amagowuli emidlalweni esidibene kuyo namaqela amakhulu. Kunyanzelekile sifake amagowuli emdlalweni wangoMgqibelo,” utshilo uShalulile ethetha nonondaba ngoLwesine. Yena uMaema ukugxininisile ukusetyenziswa kakuhle kwamathuba emdlalweni liqela lakhe. “Kube nzima kuthi emidlalweni egqithileyo – kodwa into emnandi kukuba asinikezeli kude kube sekugqibeleni,” utshilo uMaema. Kungenzeka iPirates idlalise uKermit Erasmus osuka kwiDowns noNdabayithethwa Ndlondlo osuka kwiMarumo Gallants.