iPirates neSundowns ziqengqe iqanda emdlalweni obuseSoweto!
Akukho qela elibethiweyo – kodwa iMamelodi Sundowns igoduka ibuphoxeka emva kokuhamba kungekho nto esandleni. Oku kulandela ukubambana kwayo ne-Orlando Pirates ngeqanda macala emdlalweni weMTN8 Cup obushushu o-Orlando Stadium ngenjikalanga yanamhlanje. Iqela lasePitoli liye kwiPirates lizithembile ngoba liyibethe kuyo yonke imidlalo yesizini edlulileyo. UMngqithi uthe ufuma iphumelele iDowns phambi komdlalo wanamhlanje – kodwa eyona nto ebiza kumxolisa kukubambana nePirates ngegowuli elinye ebeliza kukhatshwa ligowuli lasekuhambeni. Iza kuzamkela iziphumo iPirates ivuyela nokungafakwa kwegowuli kuyo emdlalweni wokuqala.
Xa kusiyiwa emdlalweni wesibini, uxinizelelo lakuba kwiDowns ngoba kufuneka ivale iPirates ingafaki igowuli. Amaqela omabini aya kukhalela amathuba amaninzi angasetyenziswanga emdlalweni, ingakumbi kwisigaba sokuqala somdlalo. Kuyiwe kwixesha lokuphumla kungekho gowuli ebhodini. Umdlalo ubumhle ngoba omabini amaqela ebesukelana futhi akwazile nokudala namathuba. Iphose ithuba emzuzwini wesibini iSundowns ngethuba uKhuliso Mudau engayifumani ngentloko ibhola ebisuka ekunxele. Iphinde yazama kwakhona iSundowns futhi kucaca ukuba ikhangela igowuli shushu – kodwa uThemba Zwane naye akakwazanga ukufumana ibhola ngentloko esendaweni entle.
Ithathele kuyo umdlalo emva koko iPirates ebityhala ngoMonnapule Saleng obebotshwe noZakhele Lepasa phambili. Udlale kakuhle uNdabayithethwa Ndlondlo esiswini phambi kukaMiguel Timm noGoodman Mosele embindini webala. Kuphantse konakala ngethuba ibhola kaSaleng ibetha epalini emva kokumshiya uRonwen Williams obexakeke ngaphezulu kukaRichard Ofori kwicala lePirates. UMudau uphose amathuba aliqela esendaweni entle. Elona thuba belicace kakhulu leliyekwe nguDeon Hotto okhethe ukuya emva endaweni yokukhabela ezipalini kukho uRonwen Williams phambi kwakhe. Omabini amaqela abuyele ebaleni aqala apho ebeyeke khona kwisiqingatha sokuqala somdlalo. Isantya somdlalo khange sibe phezulu kakhulu ngenxa yelanga ebelishushu kakhulu eSoweto namhlanje.
Nangona bekunjalo, abadlali bamaqela omabini badlale umdlalo omhle kakhulu. Wenze umsebenzi omhle uWilliams ngethuba evala ibhola kaZakhele Lepasa obesendaweni eyingozi kakhulu. Amaqela omabini enze iinguqu ezithe zawenza shushu ngakumbi umdlalo. UJose Riveiro ufake uKermit Erasmuz endaweni kaLepasa, uVincent Pule uthathe indawo Saleng oyikhathaze kakhulu iSundowns kwisigaba sokuqala waze uThabiso Monyai wangena endaweni kaBandile Shandu. UMngqithi noMokwena bafake uMarcelo Allende noGaston Sirino. Kwangoko iSundowns ihlasele ngamandla – kodwa wabe ethe qwa uRichard Ofori ezipalini. Iphantse yazuza iPirates ukuba uWilliams ebengayibethanga ngeminwe ibhola entle ebikhatywe nguErasmus osuka kwiSundowns. Umdlalo uphele kungekho qela eliphumeleleyo.