Uthongathi lusecicini lokuya kwaNational First Division

Imidlalo ekuhluzwa kuyo amaqela azakuya kwinqanaba elingasentla ingene kuvutho-ndaba namhlanje. Uthongathi – iintshatsheli ze-ABC Motsepe League KwaZulu Natal – lunethuba elihle kakhulu lokuya kwaNFD emva kokuphumelela kokuqokelela amanqaku amathandathu kwimidlalo emibini. Eli qela laseKZN libethe iZizwe United ngo’1-0 kumdlalo obunzima ngenxa yomoya eSisa Dukashe Stadium emini namhlanje. Igowuli lempumelelo leThongathi lize noPhiwayinkosi Dlodlo kwisiqingatha sesibini.

Abafana bakaRonie Gabriel bazincede kakhulu ngokuqokelela amanqaku kwimidlalo yokuqala, ngokwenza njalo bazicuthele umthwalo omkhulu phambi komdlalo wokugqibela. KuGroup B, Uthongathi luthe ngcu phezulu, lunamanqaku amathandathu namagowuli amabini – akuka fakwa nto kulo. Kwindawo yesibini yi-EC Bees emva kokubetha iMainstay United ngo’8-1 kumdlalo wasekuseni namhlanje. Kwindawo yesithathu yiZizwe United ebethe iMainstay esekugqibeleni emva kokubethwa nayiZizwe ngo’5-0 izolo.

Umqeqeshi weThongathi uzamkele iziphumo zanamhlanje – kodwa kwangaxeshanye wabe esithi bazimisele ukuya kumdlalo wokugqibela ngamandla apheleleyo. “Size kule tumente sizokudlala imidlalo emithathu. Asizimiselanga kulidelela iqela esidlala nalo ngoba eneneni asikaphumeleli ngokupheleleyo,” utshilo uGabriel emva komdlalo.

“IZizwe isenalo ithuba lokuya phezulu, yiyo lo nto kufuneka sisebenzise ubulumko kumdlalo wethu wokugqibela. Umthetho wethu siyawahlonipha onke amaqela esidlala nawo. Phambi kokuza kwethu kule tumente, siye sahlala phantsi sawahlalutya onke amaqela esizakudlala nawo. Ngomso silindele ilwe iMainstay  – kodwa eyona nto imbi enokusehlela kule meko sikuyo ngoku kukubethwa, amanye amaqela aphumelele komnye umdlalo,” utshilo uGabriel.

Uthongathi alunasizathu sokungaphumeleli ngomso ngoba iMainstay United lelona qela libetheka lula kule tumente kwaye elivuzayo ezipalini. Kwimidlalo emibini kufakwe ishumi elinesithathu (13) lamagowuli.