Online Reporter
Nkosilathi Sibanda loFungai Muderere
ABATHANDI bomdlalo kanobhutshuzwayo kabasoze bathole isizungu kuluMpalakazi, nanko bazagqiba umnyaka, baphinde bamukele omutsha bematasatasa ngokubukela umqhudelwano we-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Kukhangelelwe ukuthi kubencane indawo lapho okubukelwa khona imidlalo yebhola lenyawo emadolobheni lasemaphandleni. Ikhefu leKhisimusi kunye lelomnyaka omutsha lithembisa ukuba likhefu elimnandi kwezomdlalo wenguqu. Imidlalo iseMorocco kusukela ngeSonto mhlaka 21 Mpalakazi 2025 kusiya ku-18 Zibandlela 2026. Umncintiswano we-Afcon lo ngowesi-34 lokhe wasungulwa.
Okuhle kulokhu yikuthi amaWarriors aphakathi kombango wenkezo yeAfcon. Bayahlasela abafana abaqeqetshwa nguMaro Maranica lapho okukhangelelwe ukuthi bengavuzisi, ngoba baphethe amathemba elizwe. AmaWarriors avula inkundla mhlaka 22 Mpalakazi edibana le-Egypt. Iqembu libekwe kuqoqo lika-B. Amanye amazwe akuqoqo leli yi-South Africa le-Angola.
Ngaphambi kwemidlalo yamangqamu ye-Afcon, sekuvele ukuthi iConfederation of African Football (Caf) izakhipha imali engange-US$32 million.
Ngalokho, amaWarriors, akhokhelwa ngukaputeni uMarvellous Nakamba, azathola inkulungwane ezingamakhulu amahlanu zamadola eMelika (US$500 000). Leli linani eliyisisekelo kuqembu ngalinye elizaphatheka kumncintiswano omkhulu webhola lenyawo e-Africa.
Nxa iphumelela ukuthola indawo yesithathu eqoqweni layo, imali le ifinyelele ku-US$700 000. Ukufika kusigaba seLast 16 kuzaba yi-US$800 000. Lokhu kungabe kuyikuphumelela okukhulu, njengoba leli iqembu alikaze lidlulele esigabeni somkhumulajezi ngemva kokungena okokuqala ku-Afcon ngo-2004 eTunisia.
Amazwe azangena kubanga lama quarter-final azathola i-US$1,3 million ngalinye, kuthi lezo eziphumelele zayafika ku-semifinal, zithola i-US$2,5 million ngalinye. Intshantshu zomqhudelwano ziphenduka ekhaya zibuthelele i-US$7 million. Ezanqotshwa kowokucina iphiwa iUS$4 million.
Abadlali bamaWarriors abaku-Afcon:
Onozinti: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Elvis Chipezeze (Magesi), Martin Mapisa (MWOS FC)
Imvimbi: Godknows Murwira (Scottland FC), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos FC), Sean Fusire (Sheffield Wednesday FC), Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen), Gerald Takwara (Al Ittihad Misurata SC Libya), Isheanesu Mauchi (Simba Bhora FC), Brandon Galloway (Plymouth Argyle FC), Teenage Hadebe (FC Cincinnati), Alec Mudimu (Flint Town United), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Esiswini: Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town FC), Jonah Fabisch (FC Erzgebirg Aue), Andrew Rinomhota (Reading FC), Prosper Padera (SJK Seinäjoki),Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC), Knowledge Musona (Scottland FC) Abagadli: Bill Antonio (KV Mechelen FC), Ishmael Wadi (CAPS United FC), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell FC), Daniel Msendami (Marumo Gallants FC), Prince Dube (Young Africans SC), Washington Navaya (TelOne FC), Macauley Bonne (Maldon & Tiptree FC), Junior Zindoga (TS Galaxy FC), Tadiwanashe Chakuchichi (Scottland FC).
Amaqoqo amazwe ku-Afcon 2025:
Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda,Tanzania
Group D: Cameroon, Ivory Coast (intshantshu), Gabon leMozambique.
Group E: Algeria, Senegal, DR Congo, Burkina Faso
Group F: Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Benin leBotswana.
