MBONGISENI BUTHELEZI
EseGoli
U KUKHULA kukaBrighton Mhlongo ezintini ze-Orlando Pirates sekubonwe nawumqeqeshi weBafana Bafana u-Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba ongamshiyanga ngaphandle ngesikhathi ememezela iqembu lakhe izolo.
IBafana izobhekana neGambia emdlalweni wokuhlungela i-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) ngoJuni 4, eBakau Stadium, eGambia, ngo-7 ebusuku.
UMhlongo uke wahlushwa ukulimala kuBucs kodwa wabuya wayithatha indawo yakhe kuSiyabonga Mpontshane noFilipe Ovono. Kungokokuqala ngqa ebizwa lo nozinti kuBafana selokhu anikwa umsebenzi wokuvala indawo kaSenzo Meyiwa odlule emhlabeni ngo-2014.
UMashaba uthe abadlali ababizile yilabo abenza kahle emaqenjini abo kungakhathalekile ukuthi badlalela amaqembu amancane noma amakhulu.
Abanye abadlali abakuleli qembu likaMashaba abebengalindelwe uRamahlwe Mphahlele noTeboho Langerman, beMamelodi Sundowns, Diamond Thopula weChippa United noThobani Mncwango wePolokwane City. Ubuyise nokaputeni weSuperSport United uDean Furman.
“Laba badlali ababiziwe bakhethwe ngokwenza kahle emaqenjini abo. Badlala kahle kulezi zinsuku. UFurman abantu bayazi ukuthi yini angayenzela iBafana. UMhlongo yena wenza kahle kuPirates kanti noMncwango angingabazi ngaye njengoba eshaya amagoli eqenjini lakhe okuyindawo lapho esishoda khona kakhulu,” kusho uMashaba.
Lo mqeqeshi uthe kuyamkhathaza ukuthi amaqembu akuleli awenzi kahle emiqhudelwaneni yeCaf.
Ukhuluma kanjena nje uMashaba iSundowns iphumile kuCaf Confederation Cup ngemuva kokushaywa yiMadeama SC yaseGhana ngo 2-0 emlenzeni wesibili ngoLwesithathu. Umdlalo uphele ngo 3-3 sekuhlanganiswe imilenze emibili, yadlula kanjalo iMadeama ngoba yashaya igoli ekuhambeni. Amanye amaqembu ahluleke ancama ukuhamba ibanga elide kweyeCaf yiKaizer Chiefs, Bidvest Wits ne-Ajax Cape Town.
“Kufanele sibize umhlangano njengabaqeqeshi sibhunge indaba yemidlalo yeCaf, mhlawumbe singaphuma nesisombululo. Uma sise-Afrika abantu kufanele bazi ukuthi akuwona umdlalo webhola kuphela. Nesimo somqondo kufanele sibe ngesikulungele ukudlala lapho. Ngendlela esihluleka ngayo e-Afrika kusho ukuthi kukhona okufanele kulungiswe. Uma amaqembu ethu engenzi kahle kule miqhudelwano thina sizokwazi kanjani ukwenza kahle njengeqembu lesizwe?” kubuza uMashaba.
Ucacisile ukuthi kungani engambizanga umdlali wakhe amthanda kakhulu uTokelo Rantie.
“Siyamazi uRantie udlala kahle uyawashaya amagoli. Kodwa sifuna ukunikeza bonke abadlali ithuba sibone ukuthi yini abangayenza. Sihlalile savumelana ukuthi kufanele sinikeze abanye ithuba,” kusho uMashaba.
Uthe iqembu lakhe lidinga umlingo ukuze likwazi ukuyodlala ku-Afcon ngonyaka ozayo. “Njengamanje sinamaphuzu mathathu. Sifuna amanye ayisithupha, uma siwathola sibona ukuthi asibeka kuphi. Sesithembele kwabanye ukuthi basenzele umusa ukuze sikwazi ukungena kulo mqhudelwano.”
Selilonke iqembu limi kanje.
Onozinti:
Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Brighton Mhlongo (Orlando Pirates), noJackson Mabokgwane (Mpumalanga Black Aces)
Abadlali basemuva:
Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Teboho Langerman (Mamelodi Sundowns), Diamond Thopula (Chippa United) Thabo Matlaba (Pirates), Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Rivaldo Coetzee (Ajax Cape Town), Sifiso Hlanti (Bidvest Wits).
Abasesiswini:
Andile Jali (KV Oosstende, Belgium), Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Thapelo Morena (Bloemfontein Celtic), Mpho Makola (Orlando Pirates), Mandla Masango (Randers, Denmark), Keagan Dolly, Hlompho Kekana (Sundowns), Dean Furman (SuperSport United), May Mahlangu (Sint-Truidence, Belgium)
Abagadli:
Thamsanqa Gabuza (Pirates), Sibusiso Vilakazi (Wits), Ndumiso Mabena (Platinum Stars), Thobani Mncwango (Polokwane City).