MINENHLE MKHIZE
I NJINI yeMamelodi Sundowns, uBongani “Ben10” Zungu, igabe ngesipiliyoni abasithole ekuqaleni kwesizini, bedlala imidlalo yokulungiselela ukuqala kwesizini ka-2014/2015 emazweni angaphandle, kweyeCaf Champions League.
ISundowns izogadulisana neSt Michel yaseSeychelles emzuliswaneni wokuqala weCaf Champions League ngempelasonto kaFebhuwari 13 no-15, ekuhambeni. IKaizer Chiefs neTownship Rollers yaseBotswana bazogadulisana lapha ekhaya ngempelasonto efanayo.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi i-Orlando Pirates ngeke iyidlale imidlalo yokuhlunga kwiCaf Confederations Cup ngenxa yokuthi ngesizini edlule ifinyelele kowamanqamu weChampions League. IBidvest Wits izoshukana neRoyal Leopards yaseSwaziland.
UZungu, oyihlikihla enkabeni yenkundla kuBafana Ba-style, utshele Isolezwe ukuthi imidlalo yeChampions League izofika sebeyilungele.
“Amalungiselelo ethu okuqala kwesizini sihlale siwenza emazweni ase-Afrika. Ekuqaleni kwesizini sivakashele eGhana, Zambia naseZimbabwe safike senza kahle. Ngesizini edlule saya eNamibia. Siyazi ukuthi yini okufanele siyilindele khona. Sizobe singafani nabantu abasemhlabeni abangawazi. Okumnandi wukuthi sinabadlali abaseqenjini leBafana elizodlala ku-Afcon okusho ukuthi isipiliyoni abazosithola kuyona bazosisebenzisa kuChampions League,” kusho uZungu.
ISundowns izibekisele indawo kuChampions League ngemuva kokudla isicoco sePremier Soccer League (PSL) ngesizini edlule. Ngo-2001 iSundowns yahamba yaze yafinyelela kowamanqamu lapho yashaywa khona yi-Al Ahly.
“Iqembu esizodlala nalo ngeke silithathe kancane ngoba liphuma ezweni elingenawo umlando obambekayo ebholeni. La maqembu amancane ahlezi eyingozi futhi yingakho sizozinikela ngendlela efanayo nesihlale silwa ngayo uma sidlala namaqembu aseNingizimu Afrika,” kusho uZungu.
UZungu ukhona eqenjini labadlali abangu-34 leBafana Bafana abasethubeni lokuyibamba ku-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) ngenyanga ezayo.
“Kimina kusho lukhulu ukufakwa kuBafana. Into esekufanele ngiyilwele ukungena eqenjini labadlali abangu-23 abazogcine beye e-Equatorial Guinea. Ngizimisele ukwenza noma yini ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi igama lami liba khona kwabangu-23,” kusho uZungu.
IBafana iboshelwe eqoqweni elinzima ne-Algeria, Senegal neGhana kweyamaqoqo e-Afcon. UZungu uphinde wachaza nangendawo entsha aseyidlala kuSundowns. Ngesikhathi efika kuleli qembu ubaziwa njengomdlali ogijima ngemuva kwabagadli kodwa manje sezishintshile izinto njengoba eseyibamba enkabeni yenkundla lapho ebekelwe khona ukuhlakaza iminyakazo yezitha.
“Yinto engingayexwayi ukudlala indawo yokuma esiswini. Emazingeni aphansi ngidlale isikhathi eside njengomdlali wasemuva. NakuDynamos kuNational First Division naku-University of Pretoria ngifike ngadlala yona indawo yokuhlakaza iminyakazo yezitha. Ngesizini edlule sidlala neBloemfontein Celtic ngadlala endaweni efanayo ngadlala kahle. Mina ngiyilolu hlobo lomdlali ongena kalula kuyo yonke indawo engisuke ngiyalelwe ukuthi ngidlale kuyona. Engikwenzayo wukulalela engitshelwa kona,” kusho uZungu.