OYINJINI yasesiswini kuHighlands Park, uMothobi Mvala, uthe okumqoka kakhulu kubona njengamanje wukuvika izembe kunokwenza kahle kuNedbank Cup eqale ngoMsombuluko.
UMvala (22) ungomunye wabadlali abawumgogodla kuHighlands nethembele kubona emshikashikeni wayo wokuvika izembe. Ungqomfele phakathi igoli elimqoka ngemizuzu yokugcina leli qembu liguqisa ngo 1-0 iFree State Stars koweligi ngeSonto eGoble Park, eBethlehem.
Nakuba liwunqobile lo mdlalo kodwa iqembu alikasuki esishozini sezembe. Lisahlezi endaweni ka-15 ku-log ngamaphuzu angu-17 ngemuva kwemidlalo engu-20.
Nokho, kule mpelasonto iLions of The North izoke ithi ukukhohlwa wumshikashika wezembe njengoba izophinde ibhekane neFree State Stars kowempindamshaye weNedbank Cup Last 32 khona eGoble Park, eBethlehem, ngoMgqibelo ngo-8 ebusuku.
“Yebo, iwini esiyithole ngeSonto kwiFree State besiyidinga kakhulu. Ningasho ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi ibuyise ukuzethemba kithina njengabadlali beqembu ngaphambi komdlalo olandelayo weNedbank esiyowudlala nayo futhi iFree State.
“Kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu nokusemiqondweni yethu njengamanje njengabadlali beHighlands, wukulwa ngakho konke esinakho kule midlalo esisalele, sisuke kule ndawo esikuyona ku-log. Ngeke kusisize ngalutho ukwenza kahle kuNedbank ekubeni singakaphumeleli ukusuka ezembeni,” kusho uMvala.
Lo mdlali udlala indawo yokuphunga izitha esiswini saleli qembu ebe edle nangokushoshela phambili uma ithuba livuma. Nguyena njengamanje ozihola phambili ngokushaya amagoli kuleli qembu - ngamahlanu - elandelwa ngumgadli uCollins Mbesuma ngamane.
“Yize khona singeke sizithambise emidlalweni yeNedbank kodwa okumqoka kakhulu kithina ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi siyalivika izembe. Abalandeli bethu baseseka ngendlela eyisimanga, ngakho kungaba buhlungu kabi kubona nakithina badlali uma iqembu lingagcina ngokudliwa yizembe.
“Nokho, sizolwela ukuwunqoba futhi umdlalo weNedbank neFree State ngoMgqibelo, yize sazi kahle ukuthi kuzoba ngumdlalo onzima kakhulu.
Isimo sethu nesabo (abeFree State) siyefana ngoba nabo balwela ukuvika izembe, kanti bazolwela ukungaphoxi abalandeli babo ngokuphuma
ekuseni kuNedbank,” kuphetha le njini yasesiswini ebiyibambe eqenjini lesizwe lika-Under 23 eliphume ekuseni kuma-Olympic Games abeseBrazil ngo-Agasti nyakenye.
IHighlands, eqeqeshwa wuGordon Igesund, ihlalelwe ngumqansa emidlalweni eyishumi eyisalele, ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi ithola amaphuzu amqoka angagcina ngokuyiphephisa ezembeni noma ukuyodlala kumaPlay-Off.
Phakathi kwemidlalo esalele iHighlands, kubalwa iMaritzburg United (ekhaya), Lamontville Golden Arrows (ekuhambeni), Orlando Pirates (ekhaya), Bidvest Wits (ekhaya), ukubala nje embalwa.