Emva kokuba iSundowns ibethe iStellies kwimpelaveki esiphuma kuyo ngenqaku elinye eqandeni (1-0) iye yafikelela kwimidlalo engamashumi amahlanu anesibini (52) ingabethwa, xa kuthelekiswa namanye amaqela kwihlabathi jikelele iMamelodi Sundowns iphantse yophula irekhodi lehlabathi.
KwiDSTV Premiership kuphela iSundowns yagqibela ukubethwa ngethuba bebethwa yiSupersport United ngamanqaku amabini kwelinye (2-1) kwakungenyanga yoMsintsi ngoko kunyaka ophelileyo.
ISundowns iyakuba liqela lokuqala apha eMzantsi ukugqiba isizini ingabethwanga. Xa sijonga kwihlabathi Bayern Leverkusen yogqithe irekhodi ebeliphethwe yiBenfica lemidlalo engamashumi amahlanu (50) ingabethwa phambi kokuba badlale neAS Roma yase-Italy kumandulela kamagqibela kankqoyi wendebe yeEuropa ligi. Yona iLeverkusen yaseGermany iye yagqiba isizini yonke kwelalizwe ingabethwanga isophula irekhodi leminyaka engamashumi amahlanu anethoba (59).
Kanti ke likhona iqela kwihlabathi elisaphethe isithsaba sokungabethwa kwimidlalo engamashumi amathandathu anesithandathu (66), elo qela yiGlasgow Celtic yaseScottland neyathi yaliseka ngonyaka ka1915 no1917.
Iqela eliphethe indawo yesibini (2) kwihlabathi yiUnion SG yaseBelgium neyadlala imidlalo engamashumi amathandathu (60) ingabethwa ngonyaka ka1933 no1935.
Kwindawo yesithathu (3) ehlabathini ngemidlalo eliqela lingabethwa yi-Al Ahly yaseJiphethe ngesizini ka2004/05. Kanti kumazwe ehlabathi kwibhola ekhatywayo yi-Italy esalibambileyo irekhodi lemidlalo engamashumi amathathu anesixhenxe (37), neyalenza ukususela ngenyanga yoMsintsi ka2018 ukuyakutsho ngenyanga yoMsintsi ngo2021.
Umohluko kwiSundowns nalamazwe ehlabathi kukuba eli leSundowns irhekodi lelemidlalo yeligi kuphela. Namhlanje ulwesibini umhla wamashumi amabini nanye (21) iSundowns indwendwela iTS Galaxy kumdlalo lamaqela asemva ngawo, lo mdlalo uqala ngecala emva kwentsimbi yesixhenxe (19h30). Ukhumbule ukuba IiRockets ziphoxe iPirates ngenqaku eqandeni (1-0) ngempela veki. Lomdlalo udlalelwa kumabala iMbombela eMpumalanga.
By Siphiwo Boqwana.
