Lubhalwe nguMichael Madyira
IKaizer Chiefs neMamelodi Sundowns kulindeleke ukuthi babhekane kowama-quarter final e-Carling Knockout enkundleni yezemidlalo i-FNB ngoMgqibelo.
Amaphupho eqembu elilodwa okuwina lesi sicoco azophela njengoba izinhlangothi zombili zilangazelela indebe emdlalweni obhekwe njengowamanqamu ngaphambi kowamanqamu.
IChiefs izimisele ngokuwina le ndebe eselokhu yagcina ukuyiwina ngo-2015, kanti iSundowns ngeke ikwazi ukuphuthelwa esinye isicoco ngemuva ngokuphunyukwa ese-MTN8.
Umqeqeshi weKaizer Chiefs, uNasreddine Nabi usekuvezile obekulindelwe kubadlali bakhe ukunqoba isicoco se-Premier Soccer League kanye nemiqhudelwano yezinye izicoco.
“Akukho esingakwenza ngohlelo, kodwa selokhu kuqale isizini ziningi izinto ezenzekile; ngokuhlanganyela, iqembu selithuthukile futhi sihlose ukwenza kangcono ngoMgqibelo,” kusho uNabi kwabezindaba.
“Kunabezindaba abazama ukuveza iKaizer Chiefs njengeqembu eligaqele isicoco nelizowina isicoco ngokushesha, kanti akunjalo.”
Leli qembu lase-Soweto lizoya emdlalweni wangoMgqibelo nezokuvikela ezibonakala zibuthaka, njengoba igcine ithole iphuzu elilodwa emidlalweni eyisithupha kuyo yonke imiqhudelwano.
Leli qembu liphinde lehluleka wukuwina imidlalo yawo emibili edlule libjekene neSundowns. Kodwa umqeqeshi omkhulu weSundowns, uSteve Komphela, uyenqaba ukukuvuma lokho nokuthi abheke iChiefs njengeqembu eliqinile.
“Banawo amandla abo futhi banobuthakathaka babo,” kusho uKomphela. “Kodwa kuye kwaba nesici esibalulekile sokungaqiniseki; kukhona amandla owazwayo. Lawo mandla avela emiphumeleni abayitholile kanye nendlela ababona ngayo izinto zenzeka.”
Ukuze ifinyelele kuma-quarter final e-Carling Cup, iChiefs ihlule iSuperSport United ngo 4-0, kwathi iSundowns yagila izimanga yahlula iGolden Arrows ngo 5-0.
Esithombeni esingenhla: Umdlali weKaizer Chiefs, uPule Mmodi ezama ukudlula abadlali beMamelodi Sundowns.
Umthombo wesithombe: Kaizer Chiefs