Lichulumancile iqela lebhola ekhatywayo iBafana Bafana ekugqibeleni nanjengoko ihambele eMexico ngoMvulo umhla wokuqala (1) kweyeSilimela emva kwemini, emva kokulibaziseka kwee-visa ngeCawa, umongameli weSafa uDanny Jordaan uqikelele ukuba le ngxelo ayizukuyichaphazela iqela kwiNdebe yeHlabathi.
Abadlali beBafana bashiye i-OR Tambo International Airport ngoMvulo emva kwemini besiya eMexico City, apho baza kuqala khona amalungiselelo abo eNdebe yeHlabathi eqala ngoLwesine oluzayo, xa bedlala nabasingathi kumdlalo wokuqala.
Nangona bephoswe lusuku lokulungiselela kwindawo ephakamileyo ePachuca, eMexico, uJordaan uthi ngendlela engaqhelekanga le ngxelo yee-visa inokuba negalelo.
“Eli qela alizukuchaphazeleka nangayiphi na indlela. Sichithe iiyure ezingama-24 xa sidlala neNigeria [nge-24 kaJuni, umdlalo wokuhlungela iNdebe yeHlabathi], iiyure ezili-11 kwinqwelo-moya. Abadlali abazange behle, bahlala kwinqwelo-moya iiyure ezilishumi elinanye (11),” uJordaan uxelele abeendaba emva kokuba abadlali bemkile.
“Sifike e-Uyo, usuku nje ngaphambi komdlalo kwaye safika emva kwemini kwaye ngosuku olulandelayo sadlala neNigeria.
“Abadlali bathi loo mava abakhuthaze.” Ibagcine begxile. Ngoko ke, into oyibonayo liqela eligxile kwaye lizimisele ukungabaphoxi abantu baseMzantsi Afrika. Ndiyakholelwa kubo kwaye bangabadlali abanamava.
“Ubone iMamelodi Sundowns ingena emhadini weengonyama eMorocco [umdlalo wokugqibela weCAF Champions League] kwaye uzimisele ukuyigqiba. Ayikokokuqala benale ngxaki, kodwa sikholelwa ukuba baza kuyisebenzisa loo nto njengenkuthazo eyongezelelweyo yokwenza kakuhle.”
Ngumqeqeshi oncedisayo kuphela uHelman Mkhalele ongenayo ivisa, kwaye uJordaan uthe akucaci ukuba kutheni ingavunywanga okwangoku.
“Ewe, sisafuna ipasipoti enye evela kumaMerika. Ewe, bala kwaye abazange banike zizathu [zokungamniki uMkhalele ivisa]. Kunzima kakhulu ukujongana nenkqubo apho ungafumani lwazi,” utshilo.
“Siyathemba ukuba oko kuya kusonjululwa kwaye bonke abantu bethu baya kube bemkile.”
Emva kokuseka ikomiti yokuququzelela enamalungu amathathu equka intloko yeqela uDavid Molwantwa, uMxolisi Sibam, kunye noVincent Tseka, uJordaan uthe baza kusebenzisana nomqeqeshi uHugo Broos, ukuqinisekisa ukuba akukho mpazamo yolawulo ngexesha letumente.
“Ngoku luxanduva lomntu omnye, kodwa ngabantu abane. Asifuni ngxaki njengoko singena kwinqanaba lokugqibela. Ndibe nentlanganiso nabo ebusuku ngeCawa, umqeqeshi kunye nokapteni uRonwen Williams kwaye ndonwabile ukuba yonke into ilungisiwe.”