Umqeqeshi weMamelodi Sundowns uMiguel Cardoso utyhola i-ligi kunye namagosa omdlalo “ngokuvulela ikhaphethi ebomvu” i-Orlando Pirates njengoko amaBrazilians esecicini lokuphulukana nobuntshatseli okokuqala kwiminyaka elithoba.
“Ndiyazi ukuba abantu bathi ‘izizathu, izizathu’, kodwa ndimema nabani na ukuba ajonge ikhalenda aba bafana [abadlali beSundowns] bebebandakanyeka kuyo kwiintsuku ezingamashumi amabini ananye (21) ezidlulileyo. Asizange soyiswe ngumntu ngaphandle kwekhalenda,” utshilo uCardoso emva kokuhlulwa ngoLwesibini umhla weshumi elinesibini (12) kuCanzibe ngo-3-2 yiTS Galaxy kumdlalo wabo wokugqibela weligi kule sizini. UBrayan Leon ufumene amanqaku amabini ngokuchasene neGalaxy, kodwa amanqaku avela kuVictor Letsoalo, uSedwyn George kunye noMpho Mvelase aqinisekisa isivumelwano sabanini bemidlalo.
“Emva kokudlala ne-Esperance [kwi-semifinal ye-CAF Champions League kwinyanga ephelileyo], sidlale imidlalo esixhenxe kwiintsuku ezingamashumi amabini ananye (21). Lo [umdlalo weGalaxy] ngowesine ngokulandelelana ngosuku lwesine. Andazi ukuba unokucinga ukuba kunjani. Kuthetha ukungalali ekhaya.”
Umqeqeshi weDowns uchaze isizathu sokuba ecinga ukuba iligi ibisoloko ikhetha iPirates kule sizini. “Kwiminyaka emihlanu edlulileyo, ndicinga ukuba besiziintshatsheli ngeli nani lamanqaku [68],” utshilo uCardoso.
“Ngoko ke, asikuko ukuba besinexesha elibi ukuba asibi ziintshatsheli, [kodwa] kungenxa yokuba omnye umntu [iPirates] ube nexesha elihle kakhulu, kodwa ndicinga ukuba kwavulwa ikhaphethi ebomvu phambi kwabo, ngoko ke kubalulekile ukuba nobulungisa nokuhlalutya okwenzekileyo kwiiveki zakutshanje.
“Ubabonile abadlali bePirates kwiindawo apho singadlalanga khona… sidlale neMagesi, kwaye basithatha indawo ethile kwilizwe, apho ibala lincinci… iSeshego Stadium, kodwa bameme iPirates kwindawo enkulu [enebala] elihle. Ngoko ke, le yinyani ekwakufuneka sijongane nayo.”
Ukoyiswa kweDowns kwiGalaxy kushiye iPirates ekwindawo yesibini ifuna amanqaku amathathu kuphela kwimidlalo yayo emibini yokugqibela neDurban City kunye neOrbit College ukuze iphumelele ubuntshatsheli bayo bokuqala ukusukela kwisizini ka-2011/12.
UCardoso ukholelwa ukuba noosompempe bebesoloko benceda iPirates.
“Ndifuna nje ukuba nikhumbule ukuba kumdlalo wethu neChiefs sanikwa uJayden Adams ikhadi eliphuzi ngenxa yokulinganisa okungekuko… yayikukutsalwa apho watsibela khona ukuze aphephe loo kutsalwa. Wanikwa ikhadi elibomvu ngexesha apho sasisiya khona ukuze siphumelele njengoko sasilawula ngokupheleleyo umdlalo,” utshilo uCardoso.
“Kwaye kumdlalo odlulileyo sivumele ipenathi, kwaye sabona iPirates ifumana ipenathi ngenxa yokulinganisa ngokuchasene neMagesi… yayingekuko isohlwayo; yayikukutsalwa. Isigwebo sasinzima kakhulu kule sizini… njengoko benditshilo ngokwekhalenda [kunye] nolawulo lwamabala.”
Umqeqeshi weSundowns uvakalelwa kukuba bekungafanele ukuba badlale neGalaxy ngoLwesithathu, njengoko benomdlalo womlenze wokuqala womagqibela ka nkqo weChampions League bedlala neFAR Rabat yaseMorocco eLoftus Versfeld Stadium ngeCawa.
“Iqela esiza kudlala nalo ngempelaveki [FAR] sele liphumle iintsuku ezintathu, kwaye namhlanje lusuku lwabo lwesine lokuphumla, kwaye sidlala apha,” utshilo uCardoso.
“Andicingi ukuba siza kukuzilolonga… Andikhumbuli siqeqesha abadlali koko badlala kuphela; asiqeqeshi, kwaye xa ungaqeqeshi, awulazi iqela lakholokuphathela ziphumo zini na! Sidlala nje kwaye sidlala uninzi lwemidlalo idlalwa kwiindawo ezimbi.”
