Menzi Magubane
Ngemuva kokunqoba kwe-Denmark neNgilandi ngoMgqibelo, i-Euro 2020 manje isifinyelele esigabeni sayo sokugcina: umdlalo owandulela owamanqamu.
Imidlalo emine yokugcina, iNgilandi iqhubeke nokushaqisa umhlaba ngokudlala kahle kakhulu kulo mncintiswano.
Kodwa umbuzo omile uthi, ngabe iqembu elikhona manje lingakwenza yini elingakaze likwenze phambilini lidlulele kowamanqamu?
INgilandi igcine ukudlala emdlalweni owandulela owamanqamu e-European Championship eminyakeni engama-25 eyedlule, ngesikhathi isingethe khona lo mqhudelwano.
Ngowezi-1996, bahlulwa kumaphenalthi behlulwa yiJalimane. Umphathi wamanje weqembu, uGareth Southgate, uphuthwe yiphenalthi yokugcina, okubenze baphuma kumqhudelwano.
Ngesikhathi befinyelele kwabane abahamba phambili, kwakungokuqala ngqa e-Italy ngowezi-1968. Kuzo zombili lezi zikhathi, INgilandi yaphuma endaweni yesithathu.
Kodwa-ke, njengoba kunabadlali abasha abazimisele, izinto ziphinde zabukeka zigqamile eNgilandi, eqhubeke nokushaya i-Ukraine ngo 4-0 ngoMgqibelo.
Umdlalo wabo olandelayo, bazobhekana ne-Denmark abazoqhudelana nayo ngoLwesithathu ngehora le-9 ebusuku.
Ama-Danes, ashaye i-Czech Republic ngo-2-1 ukuze afinyelele kwabane bokugcina, aya kulo mdlalo njengomphetha – kanti kuze kube manje bathokozela umqhudelwano ophumelele ngokumangalisayo.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi iNgilandi izobamba iqhaza kulo mdlalo, uma kubhekwa ukuthi izobe idlala enkundleni yayo yasekhaya e-Wembley Stadium abalandeli abayi-60 000 abazobe bekhona.
Amanye amaqembu asele i-Italy ne-Spain, abazobhekana ukuthola indawo kowamanqamu ngoLwesibili ngehora le-9 ebusuku.
Isikhathi sokuqala, nesokugcina lapho iqembu laseNgilandi laphakamisa khona indebe enkulu kwakuyiminyaka engama-55 edlule ngesikhathi inqoba iNdebe Yomhlaba ye-FIFA ka-1966.
Umdlalo owandulela owamanqamu wokuqala kuzobe kubhekene amaqembu amabili e-Euro 2012 adlulela kowamanqamu – i-Italy izokwamukela i-Spain e-Wembley Stadium ngoLwesibili ngehora le-9 ebusuku.
Emdlalweni wamanqamu ka-2012 owawuse-Ukraine, i-Spain yashaya i-Italy ngo 4-0 ukuphakamisa le ndebe emqhudelwaneni wesibili olandelanayo.
Ukufinyelela kuma-semis, i-Spain ishaye i-Switzerland ngo-3-1 kumaphenalthi ngemuva kokuthi umdlalo uphele ngo-1-1. Okwamanje i-Italy ihlule i-Belgium ngo-2-1.
Umthombo wesithombe: @ euro2020