UMabaso uvuma ukugqwidiza kwePirates elaxaze abalandeli bayo!

Iphelile isizini, amaqela aphumeleleyo nazifezekisileyo iinjongo zawo ayabhiyoza – kodwa amanye azikhotha amanxeba. Phakathi kwamaqela azikhotha amanxeba ebholeni yaseMzantsi Afrika liqela elikhulu laseSoweto, i-Orlando Pirates. Inyanga ephelileyo soze bayilibale abalandeli bayo ngoba iphose ithuba lokuphumelela indebe yeCAF nokufumana indawo yesibini kwiDStv Premiership ephinde yonganyelwa yiMamelodi Sundowns. Umdlali wePirates, uAbel Mabaso, ukuvumile ukugqwidiza kweqela lakhe emva kokubethwa kwalo emdlalweni wokugqibela ekuqaleni kwale veki. Ezimnyama zibethwe yiSuperSport United ngamagowuli amabini eqandeni (2-0) emdlalweni weDStv obubanjelwe eLucas Moripe Stadium, ePitoli.

Ngokuphumelela kwawo Amatsatsantsa, abethelele indawo yawo kwiTop 8 nakwiMTN8 Cup eza kudlalwa ekuqaleni kwesizini elandelayo. Baphoxeke kakhulu abalandeli bePirates kukubethwa kweqela labo ngoba bebenethemba lokuba liza kuphumelela ukuze libuyele kwiCAF Champions League. Phofu iye ePitoli sele ithe gabhu engxakini iPirates emva kokubambana ngo’2-2 neRoyal AM emdlalweni eyayisele iwufumene. Ezimnyama zivale isizini zihleli kwindawi yesithandathu emva kweKaizer Chiefs elahle imidlalo nayo. Kwiiveki eziphelileyo iPirates ibuye iqhwalela eNigeria – apho ibethwe yiR.S. Berkane emdlalweni wokugqibela weCAF Confederation Cup. Konke oku kwenzeke uMandla Ncikazi etshilo ukuba iPirates iza kulwela indawo yesibini kwisizini ka-2021/22.

“Sizame ngako konke okusemandleni wethu – kodwa siphoxekile ekupheleni kwesizini,” utshilo uMabaso emva kokubethwa kwePirates. Kuyasidakumbisa ukuvala isizini kwindawo esikuyo. Besifuna oku kwendawo yesithathu okungenani ukuze sikwazi ukubuyela emidlalweni yeCAF kwisizini ezayo. Ngelishwa asikwazanga ukuyenza lo nto. Ndifuna ukubulela bonke abalandeli abasixhasileyo kwade kwasekugqibeleni. Sakubonana kwisizini ezayo,” uvalelise ngaloo mazwi uMabaso. Emva kwesizini engahambanga kakuhle, abaphathi bePirates kulindeleke bathathe isigqibo ngekamva likaMandla Ncikazi noFadlu Davids ababeqeqesha ngokubambisana ukusukela oko kwahamba uJosef Zinnbauer.