UMDLALI wasesiswini we-Orlando Pirates, uMakhehleni Makhaula, oqokwe njengomdlali ovelele ngesikhathi ezakhe zehlula iKaizer Chiefs emdlalweni weBetway Premiership eFNB Stadium, eNasrec, ngoMgqibelo Isithombe: BACKPAGEPIX
UKUSHAYA into ecokeme kwenjini ye-Orlando Pirates, uMakhehleni Makhaula, kufanele wukuba kuzoguqula indlela yokucabanga kwabaningi abahlanganisa iminyaka yabadlali nokudlaliswa kwabo ebholeni laseMzansi.
UMakhehleni (35), ohlalisa ebhentshini intandokazi yabalandeli beZimnyama, uMiguel Timm, bekunguyena umdlali omdala kunabo bonke abadlali enkundleni ngesikhathi kududulana iPirates neKaizer Chiefs emdlalweni wabakhaya baseSoweto eFNB Stadium, eNasrec, ngoMgqibelo. Ushikilise abadlali abancane kunaye kwiChiefs okukhona kubona uSamkelo Zwane (23) noSibongiseni Mthethwa (30). Umdlandla wakhe ekusizeni eZimnyama uma ziya phambili nokulekelela abasemuva uma iChiefs ihlasela, ukugqamisile ukuthi mhlawumbe impikiswano mayelana “namakehla” ebholeni laseMzansi ayinasidingo. Baningi abadlali eMzansi abayeka ibhola ngenxa yokushaywa ngesithende, kuthiwa “bagugile”.
Umqeqeshi wePirates, uJose Riveiro, umncomile uMakhaula oqokwe njengomdlali ovelele ngoMgqibelo.
“Ushaye into ecokeme namuhla. Ubegqugquzela iqembu ezimweni ezinzima. Ubesiza kakhulu ekuqoqeni amabhola uma sikade sihlaselwa, abheke phambili. Udlala ibhola elisezingeni eliphezulu. Nginethemba lokuthi uzoqhubeka kanje isikhathi eside,” kusho uRiveiro kwiSuperSport.
Ngaphandle kobuqhawe kubaMakhaula enkabeni yenkundla, kugqame ukubuhlakani bukaRiveiro onikeze isikhathi eside enkundleni umgadli, uTshegofatso Mabasa, ukuze akhathaze izithobha zeChiefs. Lokhu kucacile ngesikhathi sekungene u-Evidence Makgopa sezihluleka ukumelana nejubane lakhe. Leli jubane yilona elisebenzele iPirates ngesikhathi uRelebohile Mofokeng ephunyuka kuNjabulo Blom, kwagcine kudaleke iphenathi ngomuzuzu wokugcina.
Okucacile ngendlela yokudlala ye-Orlando Pirates, wukuba nabadlali abaningi abakwazi ukuphasa amabhola abheke phambili okukhona kubona uNkosinathi Sibisi, Thabiso Sesane, Thalente Mbatha noMakhaula. Lokhu kungenye yezinto ezenze eZimnyama ziyithwalise kanzima iChiefs kwazise amabhola ayingozi aqhamuka nxazonke. Okunye okuphinde kwahlala obala ngePirates, wukucindezela ngokushesha nangamandla uma ilahlekelwa yibhola. Lokhu kungenye yezinto eklinye ngazo amaqembu amaningi kwiCaf Champions League okubalwa kuwona i-Al Ahly yase-Egypt.
Akubuzwa ukuthi uRiveiro ubheke ukuthi abafana bakhe baqhubeke nomgqigqo uma sebhekene neSekhukhune United emdlalweni wePremiership e-Old Peter Mokaba Stadium ngoLwesithathu ebusuku. Emuva kwalokho, eZimnyama zizodudulana neMamelodi Sundowns ngoMgqibelo ePitoli.