Abanyana Banyana phambi kokundulukela eMelika. Umfanekiso: Facebook
Iqela lesizwe lamantombazana adlala ibhola ekhatywayo liya emidlalweni emibini eliza kothulana phezulu kuyo neMelika ukuzithemba kuphezulu. ABanyana Banyana balungiselela ukudlala imidlalo yokuqala ukusukela oko bebuye kwiNdebe yeHlabathi abazenzele imbali kuyo ngokudlulela kumjikelo wesibini okokuqala embaleni. Njengokuba ukuzithemba kusafunqukile emva kwetumente yehlabathi, aBanyana Banyana baza kufumana uvavanyo olusemgangathweni ophezulu kwiMelika – ephakathi kwamaqela aphambili ebholeni yamantombazana. UDesiree Ellis uya kwiMelika ngeqela elinabadlali abaqhelekileyo – kodwa ngaphandle kwabadlali ababini, uRefiloe Jane odlala esiswini noBambanani Mbane, abonzakaleyo.
Ethetha phambi kokuhamba neqela lakhe, uEllis uthe abadlali bakhe abayidingi inkuthazo emidlalweni abajongene nayo neMelika ephakathi kwamaqela anamandla ebholeni ekhatywayo yamantombazana nakubeni ingaqhubanga kakuhle kwiNdebe yeHlabathi esongwe kwinyanga ephelileyo kumazwe amabini abebambisene ngokuyisingatha, iAustralia neNew Zealand. Akukho badlali batsha abaninzi ngaphandle kukaLonathemba Mhlongo odlala emva noSinoxolo Cesane odlala esiswini ngoba umqeqeshi uthi khange alifumane ithuba lokubona kakuhle abanye abadlali kwiHolywoobets Super League.
“Sichonge abadlali abaqhelekileyo ngoba sifuna ukuqhubela phambili nomsebenzi ebesiwenza kakade eqeleni. Kodwa okubalulekileyo emidlalweni enjengalo siya kuyo singathanda ukunika abadlali abadlale kakuhle kwitumente yehlabathi. Kwelinye icala sifuna ukugcina indlela esidlala ngayo isendaweni enye. Abadlali abonzakeleyo banika abo bangene kwiindawo zabo ithuba lokuziqaqambambisa,” utshilo uEllis, ogxekwe kakhulu ngethuba letumente yehlabathi ngokungamniki ithuba lokudlala uAndile Dlamini owaqhuba kakuhle kwiWafcon endaweni kaKaylin Swart oyidlale yomine imidlalo yeFIFA Women’s World Cup yalo nyaka.
Umqeqeshi uthe iqela lakhe liza kulwela ukuba lifumane iziphumo ezihle xa lidibana neMelika emidlalweni yobuhlobo. “Ukuphumelela kungasinceda sinyuke kummanqwanqwa ehlabathi kwibhola yamanenekazi. Silindele ukuba abadlali bethu badlale ngendlela abadlale ngayo kwiWorld Cup,” utshilo uEllis. ABanyana Banyana baza kudibana neMelika emdlalweni oseTQL Stadium, eCincinnati, ebusuku ngentsimbi yokuqala ngoLwesihlanu. Owesibini umdlalo uza kudlalelwa eSoldier Field, eChicago, ngentsimbi yeshumi elinanye ebusuku ngeCawe. Akukacaci nokuba imidlalo iza kuvezwa na lijelo losasazo loluNtu, iSABC, empampatha iipokotho kule kule mihla ngenxa yemali engekhoyo.