By Nhlakanipho Mnqayi
IBafana Bafana ebingagayelwa mphako izibekisele indawo emdlalweni yeNdebe yoMhlaba ka-2026 iguqisa iRwanda ngo 3-0 eMbombela Stadium.
IBafana ize kulomdlalo idinga ukunqoba ebese ithandazela ukuthi iNigeria yehlule iBenin ukuze elakuleli libhukhe ithikithi lango-2026 lapho imidlalo yeNdbebe yoMhlaba izobe ibanjelwe emazweni amathathu angomakhelwane i-USA, Canada naseMexico ngonyaka ozayo.
Bese kupheleiminyaka engu-23 iBafana yagcina ukungena koweNdebe yoMhlaba njengoba yagcina ngo-2002, eKora nase-Japan, kwazise ngo-2010 yangena ngokuba lemidlalo yayibanjelwe eNingizimu Africa.
IBafana yiyo ebitshengisa izimpawu zokufuna amagoli njengoba ihlasele zisuka. Igoli leBafana lokuqala lize noThalente Mbatha ngomzuzu wesihlanu umdlalo uqalile. Elesibili lize no-Oswin Appolis ngomzuzu ka-25 okunguye obe ngumdlali ovelele. Isipikili sokugcina sishayelelwe ngu-Evidence Makgopa ngomzuzu ka-71, eqinisekisa ukuthi iqembu lika-Hugo Broos liqeda lihlezi esicongweni ngamaphuzu angu-18, lilandelwa yi-Nigeria enamaphuzu angu-17 endaweni yesibili kwathi iBenin yalala endaweni yesithathu ngamaphuzu angu-17.
UNgqongqoshe wezeMidlalo, amaCiko namaSiko, eNingizimu Afrika, uMnuz Gayton MacKenzie, uncome abadlali nabaqeqeshi.
“Lokhu kusho lukhulu kuthina. Abaqeqeshi kanye nabadlali benze umsebenzi oncomekayo. Izwe lijabulile, wonke umuntu ujabulile. Ngithanda ukudlulisa amazwi okubonga,” kusho uMckenzie.
IBafana is izobhekana amabombo emqhudelwaneni we-Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ozobanjelwa eMorocco ngo-Disemba nonyaka.
