ISITHENJWA se-Orlando Pirates, uPatrick “Tito” Maswanganyi, kulindeke ukuthi siqale iminyakazo ezoyihlomulisa uma isibhekene ne-Al Ahly yase-Egypt emdlalweni weCaf Champions League e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto, namuhla ntambama Isithombe:BACKPAGEPIX
AKUKHO okuyisipesheli i-Orlando Pirates ekuhlelele, uPercy Tau, we-Al Ahly yase-Egypt njengoba lezi zinkunzi zase-Afrika zizobanga amaphuzu amathathu ka-Group C weCaf Champions League namuhla ngo-3 ntambama, e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
IPirates enamaphuzu amathathu kuleli qoqo, izokwamukela ompetha beChampions League abazobe beholwa nguTau oyisilomo seBafana Bafana.
Kulindeleke ukuthi uTau athwale amathemba e-Al Ahly kulo mdlalo kwazise uzobe ebhekene neqembu elibunjwe ngenqwaba yozakwabo kwiBafana kanti umdlalo usenkundleni ayazi ukusuka nokuhlala.
Kube sengathi bebekuhlele ukuphendula lo mbuzo, u-Innocent Maela ongukaputeni wePirates nomqeqesi wakhe uJose Riveiro, ngesikhathi bekhuluma nabezindaba ngoLwesihlanu ngamalungiselelo abo.
“Kungaba ngelikhulu iphutha ukunaka umdlali oyedwa ekubeni sibhekene nelinye lamaqembu ahlonishwayo e-Afrika,” kusho uMaela obebuziwe.
URiveiro akazange adinge nokuthi abuzwe njengoba ezingene emlonyeni izintatheli ebezibuza ukaputeni wakhe ngohlelo oluyisipesheli lukaTau.
Ngesikhathi uTau egcina ukudlala eMzansi, washaya igoli ebhekene neMamelodi Sundowns kanti uKhanyisa Mayo uyena oshayele i-CR Belouizdad yase-Algeria elokubika ishayelwa ekhaya yiPirates ngeledlule.
“IPirates eqeqeshwa yimina ayisoze yahlelela umdlali ngayedwana. Akuyona indlela yami yokwenza,” kusho yena.
URiveiro akakholwa ukuthi i-Al Ahly ingabaxaka kodwa konke kulele ekutheni bangavumi ukweqiwa yimicabango ngobukhulu bomdlalo.
“Sihlele ngendlela esihlale sihlela ngayo kodwa ngeke sikubalekele ukuthi sibhekene neqembu elinawo wonke amaqhinga okudlala iChampions League.
“Sidlalela ekhaya lapho sizobe silekelelwa khona yizinkulungwane zabalandeli. Ngiyakukholwa ukuthi singawunqoba umdlalo uma singeke sivumele ukubuswa ubukhulu bawo.
“Enkundleni kuzobe kukhona abadlali abangu-22 beqophelo eliphezulu kodwa abangu-11 bazobe besekhaya, kukhona nezinkulungwane zabalandeli ngemuva kwabo.
“Ayilona iqatha elingasibinda i-Al Ahly uma sihlala kulokhu esikuhlelile, bese singayinaki indlela ezobe yona izama ngayo amaqhinga ayo ngokuqhubeka komdlalo,” kuqhuba yena.
Mayelana nabadlali uthe, cishe bonke bawulungele umdlalo ngaphandle kwalaba abebevele baziwa ukuthi balimele.
“Isibalo sabadlali sanele futhi bonke babukeka bekulungele ukubalwa kwabangu-20 abazoba sesikwatini somdlalo.
“Amava okuqoqa amaphuzu amathathu sinawo. Izingqinamba ezizoqhamuka ngokuqhubeka komdlalo, ngiyalethemba ithimba lami ukuthi lizoba nazo izimpendulo ngakho-ke asisakwazi ukulinda ukuthi kushaye isikhathi somdlalo,” kusho uRiveiro.
Kubadlali bePirates okulindeleke ukuthi bahluphe i-Al Ahly kukhona uPatrick Maswanganyi, Relebohile Mofokeng, Mohau Nkota, Evidence Makgopa nabanye.