KUMCASULILE umqeqeshi weMamelodi Sundowns, uPitso Mosimane, ukudedela iphenathi ngemizuzu yokugcina kweqembu lakhe okuholele ekutheni bahlulwe yi-Esperance Tunis emdlalweni wamaqoqo kwiCaf Champions League.
ISundowns engompetha beChampions League igcine ihlulwe ngo 2-1 ngemuva kokuthi uBangaly Soumaharo edale iphenathi ngomzuzu ka-89.
Amagoli kulo mdlalo obuseLucas Moripe Stadium ashaywe uYassine Khenisse.
Kwathi uSibusiso Vilakazi washaya elokulinganisa esiwombeni sokuqala.
UMosimane ubeze kulo mdlalo elibeke ngesihloko elokuthi ufuna amaphuzu amathathu, njengoba ubezibekele ukuthi okungenani baphume namaphuzu amane kwi-Esperance. Umdlalo olandelayo usekuhambeni ngoJuni 21 eStade Olympic de Rades, eTunisia.
Umphumela ubeke i-Esperance eqhulwini ku-Group C ngamaphuzu ayisikhombisa. ISundowns inamaphuzu amane. Amaqembu amabili azoqeda phezulu iqoqo ngalinye azodlulela kuma-quarterfinal.
“Sizenzele phansi ngesikhathi esimqoka somdlalo, sidala iphenathi ngomzuzu ka-89. Nami ngendlela engibone ngayo sidlale kabi. Uma udlala kabi ke ebhokisini iphenathi leyo, angizange ngikholwe,” kusho uMosimane.
Uthe bekusobala ukuthi i-Esperance izele iphuzu kuleli.
“Uma bebengawinanga besizoqhubeka nokulingana ngamaphuzu phambili. Ngibatshelile (abadlali) ukuthi kumele bawaqaphele amaqembu asenhla ne-Afrika, ayakwazi ukudlalela amaphenathi, yize ngingasho ukuthi bekungesiyona. Kumele ukhaliphe ungadlali njengoba wenza lapha kwiPSL kodwa ke sibe budedengu, ingicasule kabi leya phenathi. Kodwa ke njengomqeqeshi kumele ubhekane nesimo esifana nalesi.”
UMosimane wethemba ukuthi kuzofika isikhathi somdlalo sekukhona abadlali abaluleme njengoMotjeka Madisha olimele ngempelasonto. Uthembisile ukuthi bazobuya nawo amaphuzu agcwele eTunisia.
“Ngikholwa wukuthi uma sesinabadlali abaluleme, singalishaya leli qembu khona eTunisia. Kunzima khona ukwamukela (ukuhlulwa) nabo bayazi ukuthi bebengeke baphume ePitoli ukube basifice siphelele,” kusho uMosimane.
Lena yinkulumo angazange ayamukele umqeqeshi we-Esperance, uFaouzi Benzarti.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi kuzoba nzima ukwenza lokho (ukuthi iSundowns ibashayele
ekhaya).
“Uma ningakwazi ukuwina lapha, nizowina kanjani ekuhambeni,” kusho uBenzarti.
Khonamanjalo iSuperSport United ibambane ngo 2-2 neTP Mazembe yaseDR Congo ekuhambeni emdlalweni weCAF Confederation Cup.