Balembono etshiyeneyo abalandeli bomdlalo wenguqu phezu kokuba kuyini okuzakwenzakala kusigaba se-semi–final kumncintiswano weAfrica Cup of Nations oqhutshelwa kweleIvory Coast.
Iqembu elimela ilizwe eliqoqe limidlalo eleIvory Coast lixegwe leDemocratic Republic of Congo kuthi eleSouth Africa lizangqikilana leleNigeria kusigaba sesemi – final ngoLwesithathu ngemva kokuba womane lawa maqembu ephumelele kusigaba se-quarter–final.
Olandela limidlalo uNhlanhla Mtshinda uthi iqembu leIvory Coast lizasebenzisa ithuba elokuba limidlalo iqhutshelwa ngakibo lidlulele kusigaba esilandelayo njalo singesokucina esomncintiswano..
“Ngokubona kwami ku-final kuzangena amaqembu ayekusibaya sikaGroup A iNigeria leIvory Coast kuthi lezi ezinye zizadibana kudingwa iqembu elizaqeda lisendaweni yesithathu. Iqembu leSouth Africa ngiyalibona liyadlala sibili kodwa iNigeria yiyo ezanqoba kuthi iIvory Coast layo izanqoba iDRC.”
Umlandeli womdlalo wenguqu uSabelo Masuku, ohlala eSigodini, laye uthi kufinal kuzangena iqembu leIvory Coast kanye leleNigeria.
“Yebo imidlalo yeAFCON ngiyikhangele sibili kodwa iNigeria izafika kufinal ngemva kokunqoba iSouth Africa kuthi iIvory Coast izakudla i DRC zingene zonke kufinal. INigeria isidlala kuhle kakhulu ikanti iIvory Coast isisebenzisa ithuba lokudlala ngekhaya njalo sebedlalisa labadlali abalesikhathi eside besemdlalweni wenguqu.”
Olilunga lenhlanganiso yabalandeli beqembu leHighlanders eleHeart and Soul uPeacot Hadebe yena uthi akukho lula ukukhetha ukuba yiwaphi amaqembu azadlulela phambili ngemva kwemidlalo ye semi - final.
“Ngiyawabona ama semi – finals njalo kuyadlalwa sibili kodwa kunzima ukuba ngiqagele ukuba yiziphi ezizadlulela phambili ziye ku final. Kungathi kunzima ngoba ngibona angathi eziseleyo ngamadoda, adonsile amasokisi.
Uhlupho yikuthi nxa ulento yakho oyithandayo awungeke utsho kodwa Phakathi kweNigeria leSouth Africa ngibona angathi iSouth Africa izanqoba.”
Owadlalela iqembu labesifazane elimela ilizwe eleMighty Warriors uJackie Ngwenya laye uthi inhliziyo yakhe ikuqembu labomakhelwane eleBafana Bafana.
“Ngibonga omakhelwane bethu njalo sikhangelele ukuthi omakhelwane bethu oSouth Africa bengene lathi sibe lesikubambayo. Sikhangelele khonapho lathi njengeZimbabwe vele sisekela bona njalo sibafisela inhlanhla ukuthi bangene kufinal.”
Isiphathamandla sebhola labesifazane uSibekiwe Ndlovu laye uthi ubona angathi iqembu leSouth Africa lizadlulela kusigaba esilandelayo esomncintiswano.
“Ngibona angani iqembu leSouth Africa lizanqoba ngoba lilabadlali abanengi abadlala bonke bendawonye abakade bevele bedlala kuzwekazi laseAfrica okokuthi bavele bajwayelene. Ngaleyondlela kutsho ukuba bona bavele basesimeni esihle okokuthi sebengafika laku final beyiphakamise inkezo. INigeria ilabo abadlali abalamabizo kodwa umehluko yikuba akusibo bantu abadlala bonke isikhathi esinengi. Kucele leSouth Africa kulabadlali phose abayisikhombisa abadlala bendawonye maviki wonke. Bayazwisisana ngcono kulalaba abeNigeria abangabe bengamabizo amakhulu kodwa abazabe bedlala bengani umuntu uzidlalela yena yedwa.”
Ohlala elokitshini leMzilikazi uNdabezinhle Nkomo laye uthi iqembu leSouth Africa lingayiphakamisa inkezo.
“Mina engiyibona angani ingayithatha yiSouth Africa ngoba ngendlela abadlala ngayo akula qembu kumaqembu lawa aseleyo angiboni angayinqoba. Iqembu leIvory Coast lihlala lisinda ngesikhala senalithi sonke sikhathi. Ungakhangela ukwenza kwayo ayikanqobi okucacayo selokhu imidlalo iqalile.”
Imidlalo yesemi – final ikhona ngoLwesithathu mhla ziyisikhombia kuNhlolanja lapho iqembu leNigeria elizadibana khona leleSouth Africa ngehola lesikhombisa ntambama kuthi eleIvory Coast lizadlala leleDemocratic Republic of Congo ngehola letshumi ebusuku.
Amaqembu azaphumelela ngoLwesithathu azadibana kufinal ngeSonto mhla zilitshumi lanye ngehola letshumi ebusuku.