Menzi Magubane
Sekuqalile ukubalwa izinsuku ezisele ngaphambi komlando we-CAF Champions League weKaizer Chiefs kanti sekusele izinsuku eziyisikhombisa ngaphambi kokuthi baye enkundleni nezikhondlakhondla zase-Egypt, i-Al Ahly.
I-Stade Mohamed V Stadium e-Morocco izosingatha lokhu kunqubuzana phakathi kwala maqembu amabili ngoMgqibelo ozayo.
Womabili la maqembu anomlando ocebile maqondana nokuwina izindebe kodwa kuMakhosi le ndebe ye-Champions League iyona abangakaze bayiphakamise.
Bayilambele futhi ngeke bavinjwe ngalutho ukuyiphakamisa noma ngabe kusho ukudlula kwabaphethe isicoco, i-Al Ahly.
Umdlali wasesiswini waMakhosi osehlale isikhathi eside uWillard Katsande ukhiphe isexwayiso ku-Ahly.
“Asikho kowamanqamu ngephutha. Sisebenze kanzima futhi sizoqhubeka nokwenza njalo kowamanqamu. Siyazi ukuthi i-Ahly izofika kithina izame ukusicekela phansi, kodwa ekugcineni kosuku akungenxa yomlando kodwa imizuzu engama-90,” kusho uKatsande.
IChiefs yilona kuphela iqembu laseNingizimu Afrika eselike lawina isicoco se-CAF Confederation Cup (ompetha be-African Cup bangaleso sikhathi) ngowezi-2001 manje sebebheke ukwengeza i-Champions League eqoqweni labo. Bazobhekana ne-Ahly njengabadlali abangaphansi, isicoco esingajwayelekile ukuhlanganiswa neChiefs.
“Yebo, siya khona njengabantu abangaphansi, kodwa ekugcineni kosuku kuzokwehlela kwabakufuna kakhulu. Sizonikeza i-Ahly inhlonipho ebafanele. Bayiqembu elikhulu e-Afrika elinomlando omkhulu kodwa enkundleni konke lokho kuzokhohlwa.”
IChiefs izonyuswa wukubuya komgadli wayo uKhama Billiat ekulimaleni isikhathi eside. Lo mdlali odabuka e-Zimbabwe ubekezelele isizini enzima eyenze wehluleka ukudlala phakathi kukaMasingana nokuqala kukaMbasa lapho ephuke khona umlenze.
Ngasekupheleni kukaMbasa wanesa ukulimala kwakhe futhi waphuthelwa ama-quarter-final e-Champions League kanye nama-semifinal kanye nangesikhathi esisele ku-DStv Premiership.
UBilliat uzoba ngukhiye ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi Amakhosi abe yiqembu lesithathu laseNingizimu Afrika ukuphakamisa i-Champions League ngemuva kwe-Orlando Pirates ngowe-1995 neMamelodi Sundowns ngowe-2016.
Kwezinye izindaba ezivela ekhempini yeKaizer Chiefs, iqembu likuqinisekisile ukusayiniswa kukaBrandon Peterson, uSifiso Hlanti, uPhathutshedzo Nange, uNjabulo Ngcobo, uSibusiso Mabiliso kanye noKgaogelo Sekgota. UGiven Thibedi ubiziwe.
Umthombo wesithombe: @KaizerChiefs