Lubhalwe nguMichael Madyira
Umqeqeshi weBanyana Banyana uDesiree Ellis uyenqaba ukufunda okuningi emaqenjini aklelisiwe ku-Fifa ngaphambi komdlalo wabo ne-Tanzania emdlalweni wokuhlungela Imidlalo yama-Olympics akulo nyaka ngoLwesihlanu.
Elakuleli lizobhekana neqembu lase-Tanzania e-Azam Sports Complex emdlalweni womzuliswano wesibili, womlenze wokuqala ekuhambeni njengoba iphusha ukubuyela kuma-Olympics.
Ompetha base-Afrika besifazane babekwe endaweni yesi-52 emhlabeni – i-Twiga Stars ibekwe endaweni yesi-146.
“Okukhulu ukuthi siphume nomphumela omuhle,” kusho u-Ellis kwabezindaba.
“Kodwa awukho umdlalo olula, angeke neze ube lula. Uma ubheka i-Afcon yabesilisa, ukukleliswa akusho lutho. Abadlali abangu-11 baqhathwa nabangu-11 enkundleni.
“Uma umdlali oyedwa noma ababili bengadlali, ungase ube nenkinga. Ngakho kufanele senze isiqiniseko sokuthi abadlali bayalufeza uhlelo esiqhamuka nalo. Uma kungasebenzi siza nelinye icebo.”
Kuzoba umdlalo wokuqala weBanyana Banyana wokuncintisana kulo nyaka njengoba yagcina ukubonakala idlalala ne-Burkina Faso ngoZibandlela.
Ngemuva kokubamba iqhaza kuma-Olympics ngo-2012 nango-2016, iqembu lihlulekile ukuhlungela ama-Olympica ango-2020.
Ukaputeni obambile uThembi Kgatlana ukugcizelele okubhekwe ngabomvu kulo mzuliswano wokuhlungela le midlalo.
“Kubaluleke kakhulu ukwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi siphumelele. Usekhona omunye umzuliswano ngemuva kwalokhu,” kusho uKgatlana.
“Saphoxeka eminyakeni embalwa edlule ngokuhluleka ukuya kuma-Olympics ngemuva kokuthi siye khona ngo-2012 nango-2016.
“Siyiqembu eligxile ekufuneni ukungena kwi-Africa Cup of Nations, ama-Olympics kanye nakwiNdebe yoMhlaba. Ukungaphumeleli okokugcina e-Tokyo kuguqule isimo seqembu.
“Siyazi ukuthi lo mdlalo ubaluleke kangakanani kithina. Sikubheke ngabomvu ukudlala kusasa nase mlenzeni wokubuya emdlalweni ozobe ukuleli,” kusho uKgatlana.
Ngemuva kokuqokwa eqenjini lesikhashana, ukapteni weqembu uRefiloe Jane akazange aphumelele ekukhethweni kokugcina njengoba elwela ukubuyela esimweni esigcwele.
Esithombeni esingenhla: Umakadebona wasemuva weBanyana Banyana uNoko Matlou uhola ozakwabo lapho abaziqeqesha khona e-Tanzania.
Umthombo wesithombe: Banyana Banyana