I-KAIZER Chiefs ingase ithole ithuba lokuziphindiselela kwiMamelodi Sundowns okungezeka ibhekane nayo kowandulela owamanqamu weNedbank Cup.
IChiefs edlulele kulesi sigaba ngokuxebula iStellenbosch ngo 3-1 ngoMgqibelo, izolinda iqembu elizowina phakathi kweSundowns neSekhukhune United kowama-quarterfinal ongadlalanga ngoMgqibelo ngenxa yezinkinga ezithinta inkundla iLucas Moripe Stadium obekufanele kudlalwe kuyona. IPremier Soccer League (PSL) ayikalumemezeli usuku nesikhathi okuzodlalwa ngaso lo mdlalo. Ngesikhathi ziqhathwa izolo emuva komdlalo weDurban City neMarumo Gallants, i-Orlando Pirates itomule iGallants kowandulela owamanqamu.
IGallants idlulele kowandulela owamanqamu emuva kokuthela isibhaxu iCity ngo 4-1 sekukhahlelwa amaphenalthi emuva kokuthi umdlalo uphele zibambene ngo 0-0 eChatsworth Stadium, eThekwini. IPirates, evikela indebe, idlule kwiSuperSport United ngo 5-4 sekukhahlelwa amaphenalthi emuva kokuthi umdlalo uphele ngo 2-2.
IChiefs isethubeni lokubhekana neSundowns nje, isiphenduke isinkwa semihla ngemihla saleli qembu lasePitoli. Emasontweni adlule, iSundowns iphinde yehlula iChiefs ngo 1-0 koweBetway Premiership ekubeni ibiyithele ngehlazo lika 4-0 kwiCarling Knockout ngasekupheleni konyaka odlule. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, iPirates izothola ithuba lokubuyisa izinduku kwiGallants esanda kuyiphazamisa kwiligi, iyephuca amaphuzu ebiwadinga ukuze ivale igebe phakathi kwayo neSundowns.
ICity ebiyiqembu lokugcina elidlala esigabeni esiphansi ebelisele kwiNedbank, iyithwalise kanzima iGallants. Leli qembu elisesicongweni kwi-log yeMotsepe Foundation Championship, liqale umdlalo ngabadlali abangajwayele ukudlala nabasayiniswe ngewindi likaJanuwari. Kulaba badlali kukhona uLuvuyo Phewa osuka kuMaZulu FC odlale umdlalo wakhe wokuqala.
Nokho emizuzwini embalwa zibuye ekhefini umqeqeshi waleli qembu, uSimo Dladla, wenze izinguquko ezisheshayo efaka izethenjwa zakhe uJoslin Kamatuka, Ruzaigh Gamaldien, Saziso Magawana noSamkelo Maseko ezingene nomkhulu umnyakazo.
Ngomzuzu ka-80 uGamaldien ucishe watholela iCity igoli lokuwina eshaya eceleni kwepali ibhola ebeligotshwe nguMagawana eqhamuka ngasohlangothini lwesokunxele.
Kube ngesifanayo nakwiGallants eqalise ebhentshini isethenjwa somgadli wayo, uGabadinho Mhango, naye ongene emizuzwini embalwa zibuye ekhefini.
Ngale kwalokho womabili la maqembu athole amathuba ambalwa okuthola igoli, kodwa ehluleka ukuwasebenzisa ngendlela, ikakhulukazi iCity okuyiyona ecindezele kakhulu ngasekupheleni komdlalo esiwombeni sesibili.
