Abalandeli bebhola ekhatywayo bashiyeke bematshekile sisigqibo esibe ngohlengahlengiso kwisigqeba sabaqeqeshi beMamelodi Sundowns ekuqaleni kwale veki. Ingxelo ekutshwe yiSundowns ithe uRulani Mokwena ngumqeqeshi oyintloko omtsha. Uza kusekelwa nguSteve Komphela noManqoba Mgqithi ngokulandelelana. Oku kwenziwe yiSundowns emva kokuvuthululwa kwayo yi-Orlando Pirates ngamagowuli amathathu eqandeni emdlalweni weMTN8 Cup obubanjelwe ePeter Mokaba Stadium ngempelaveki egqithileyo. Abaphathi beSundowns banika uxanduva uMngqithi, uMokwena noKomphela lokuqeqesha emva kokuhamba kukaPitso Mosimane owayesiya kwiAl Ahly yaseYiphutha kwisithuba esingaphezulu kweminyaka emibini egqithileyo.
Abantu abaninzi bavakalise ukungasithandi kwabo isigqibo esithathiweyo kumakhasi onxibelelwa – kodwa uMike Makaab, ongumanejala kaMngqithi, uthe umqeqeshi akanayo ingxaki nesigqibo esithathiweyo. UManqoba uthotyiselwe wayokubekwa ekugqibeleni emva kokuhlazwa kweSundowns. Nangona ilizwi lokugqibela beliphuma kuye uMngqithi – kodwa bebesebenza ngokubambisana bebonke bengabaqeqeshi. Ngokutsho kukaMakaab, umqeqeshi wakhe umazise ngeenguqu emva kwentlanganiso ebiphakathi kwabaphathi beSundowns nabaqeqeshi. “Abaqeqeshi bebebizelwe entlanganisweni apho kuye kwavanywa ngayo yonke into khona,” utshilo uMakaab kwisikhululo saKwaZulu-Natal.
“Akakhubekanga uManqoba. Sithethe ixesha elide ngale nto thina sobabini. Njengomntu ochubekileyo engqondweni, usamkele isigqibo sabaphathi ngoba iqela belingaqhubi kakuhle. Nokuba isigqibo sibuhlungu – kodwa iqela liza kufumana inkxaso epheleleyo kuManqoba,” utshilo uMakaab. Isivumelwano sengqesho sakhe kwiSundowns siphelelwa ekupheleni kwesizini eqhubekayo. Amasandawana aza kudibana neRoyal AM emdlalweni weDStv Premiership oza kube useChatsworth Stadium ngentsimbi yesithandathu emalanga ngoMgqibelo. Emva kokubethwa kwawo, aza kulwela impumelelo ekwalungiselela iCarling Black Label Cup oza kudlala ngomhla weshumi elinambini kwinyanga ezayo. Ekuqaleni kweveki, iSundowns ibindwendwele iMaritzburg United esatsala nzima kule sizini.
Ziyakhula iimpawu zembalela eMpuma Koloni