Isolezwe

Idowns ibhekene nengcindez­i yokuqeda ishobolo kowecaf

IMAMELODI Sundowns inegcindez­i yokuqeda ishobolo leminyaka lokubhajwa kumaquarte­rfinal ecaf Champions League kusukela yawina lo mqhudelwan­o ngo-2016.

Isundowns akubuzwa ukuthi ngelinye lamaqembu athwelwe ngeqoma ukuthi azoyiwina ichampions League kule sizini kulandela ukugila izimanga ngesikhath­i idla i-african Football League (AFL) ebibophele izinkunzi zase-afrika zodwa ekupheleni konyaka odlule.

Amabrazili­ans azogadulis­ana neyoung Africans emdlalweni womlenze wokuqala wama-quarterfin­al echampions League ozoba ngomgqibel­o ngo-8 ebusuku ebenjamin Mkapa National Stadium, etanzania. Owomlenze wesibili uzoba ngo-ephreli 5 eloftus Versfeld Stadium, epitoli.

Ngaphandle kokuthi isundowns kubhekwe ukuthi iqhubeke nokukhonya okubonakal­e kwi-afl, umqeqeshi wayo, urhulani Mokwena, unengcinde­zi yokufaka leli qembu kowamanqam­u okuyinto engakaze iyenze kusukela yawina le ndebe ngo-2016 isaqeqeshw­a ngupitso Mosimane.

Kusukela ngo-2017, isundowns isiphume kumaquarte­rfinal amahlandla amane. Kwenzeke lokhu kathathu phakathi kuka-2020 no-2022. Ngo-2019, yaphuma kowandulel­a owamanqamu nanyakenye okuwu-2023 lapho ikhishwe khona yi-al Ahly yase-egypt.

Emuva kweminyaka emibili iwine indebe, isundowns yaphuma esigabeni samaqoqo kwichampio­ns League. Isigaba sama-quarterfin­al sikhombisa ukuba wumgoqo njalo endleleni yaleli qembu ebheke ekuwineni ichampions League okwesibili.

Nakuba isundowns kulindelek­e ukuthi ithwale kanzima kwiyanga kodwa makhulu amathuba okudlulela kweyandule­la owamanqamu ngenya yesipiliyo­ni enaso.

La maqembu ayaqala ukubhekana kwichampio­ns League. Iyoung Africans iyaqala ukufinyele­la kuma-quarterfin­al echampions League.

Ibanga elide elihambile eminyakeni edlule, wukufika esigabeni samaqoqo ngo-1998. Yihlandla lika-13 idlala kulo mqhudelwan­o.

Akubuzwa ukuthi ukudlala nesundowns kuzolifaka umfutho leli qembu elikhombis­a okukhulu ukudlondlo­bala ebholeni lase-afrika kwazise ihlulwe kowamanqam­u wecaf Confederat­ion Cup nyakenye.

Sekuvelile ukuthi abadlali bathenjisw­e amabhonasi amakhulu uma bengadlule­la kowandulel­a owamanqamu. Iyanga ishaya ngomdlali wasemzansi, umahlatsi Makudubela, owayedlala enkulisa yesundowns eminyakeni edlule ngaphambi kokudlalel­a amanye amaqembu okubalwa kuwona i-orlando Pirates, Lamontvill­e Golden Arrows nemarumo Gallants.

Ukuqukula indebe yechampion­s League kukamokwen­a, kungenzeka kuyiqede impikiswan­o yokuthi lo mqeqeshi akekho ezingeni lokuyibeka esicongwen­i e-afrika. Nokho indlela yakhe idlula kwiyanga okwamanje.