AmaZulu aim to stretch their impressive undefeated streak in the DStv Premiership as they prepare to take on Moroka Swallows at the Dobsonville Stadium this coming Friday.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 pm. Usuthu recently extended their unbeaten run to three matches in the local top-flight competition when they played to a goalless draw against Polokwane City on September 25, in an away fixture.
Currently, AmaZulu occupies the eighth position in the DStv Premiership standings, trailing fourth-placed SuperSport United by three points. Usuthu has their sights set on a top-four finish and will be aiming for victory to achieve that goal.
Franco Martin, the head coach of AmaZulu, shed light on the decision to have Ben Motshwari as an unused substitute in the Polokwane City match. He also hinted at the possibility of the midfielder featuring in the upcoming game against Swallows.
“His fitness level is inferior to the one that [Taariq] Fielies showed us in the previous training sessions,” said the coach.
“From there we were planning,” Franco Martin said. And I wished I could have given him some game time.
“Because we really wanted to help him get fitter and fitter. “But we couldn’t because of the situation of the game.
“And we thought it was not the right moment to risk him. Let’s see if in the next game he can get his game time because the same as I said with Fielies he is a player who is going to help us.”
Meanwhile, Swallows emerged as a 2-0 winners over Stellenbosch FC away on September 19 and the win saw the Soweto giants bounce back to winning ways in the league.
Amaswaiswai are currently occupying the sixth spot on the DStv Premiership standings – three points behind third-placed SuperSport, but the former have a better goal difference.
Steve Komphela, the Swallows head coach, expressed his delight after masterminding a win over Stellenbosch in the Western Cape.
“It was a nice match, but the highlight for me is keeping a clean sheet,” Komphela said.
“The goalkeepers, goalkeeping coach, and the entire technical team, they have been fighting hard that we need to keep a clean sheet. If you don’t concede you won’t lose a match.
“But above that scoring two goals, the weather was quite bad it was slippery. You learn that by bringing in the right type of equipment (players) we could have scored more goals. But we are delighted with the victory.”
AmaZulu will welcome back Mbongeni Gumede from suspension when they take on Swallows.