AmaZulu players banking on home ground advantage against Horoya AC

AmaZulu FC players will do well to study how Guinean outfit Horoya AC managed to hold their own against the three top SA football clubs that they’ve met in the Caf Champions League in the recent past.

Horoya, who meet AmaZulu in a second match of Group B at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night at 9pm, lost only once in six matches against Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the same stage of this competition since 2018.

Pitso Mosimane, while a head coach at Sundowns, watched in horror and dismay as Horoya masterminded the Brazilians elimination by claiming the second spot behind Morocco’s Wydad AC in 2018.

The Guinean club, which has never won this competition despite appearing 12 times since 2000, held Sundowns to a 2-2 draw in Pretoria before a 0-0 stalemate in Conakry.

In the 2018-2019 campaign it was the turn of Milutin Sredojevic, the coach of Pirates at the time, to taste Horoya’s incredible stamina and ruthlessness in this competition.

Despite losing 3-0 to Pirates in Orlando, Horoya ensured Pirates crashed out and finished third while they took the second spot behind Tunisia’s Esperance after beating the Buccaneers 2-1 in the last group match in Conakry.

It was only Kaizer Chiefs, last season runners-up in this competition, who got the better of Horoya in group stages despite playing draws against them at home and away. Horoya held Amakhosi 2-2 at FNB Stadium and 0-0 at home. That helped Chiefs to advance to the last 8 alongside Wydad on goal difference.

Speaking ahead of their clash against Horoya, AmaZulu players Sithembele Sikhakhane and Augustine Mulenga spoke as if they were up against one of those ordinary sides that you can easily brush aside, especially if you have home ground advantage.

“We have an advantage of playing at home [against Horoya],” said right-back Sikhakhane, who couldn’t help his team avoid a 1-0 away defeat to Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca last week.

“We want to do better in order to qualify for the last 8. I think because we’re new in this competition it’s important that we stick to our game plan. We’ve played some strong matches like our clash against TP Mazembe [of DRC in the elimination stages], so we must know our story against Horoya.”

Mulenga said almost the same as Sikhakhane, adding that playing in Durban will be a big booster for Usuthu.

“What we learnt from the game against Casablanca is that when you’re playing an away game you won’t have a lot of chances,” said Mulenga, the attacker from Zambia.

“Everyone is looking forward to Friday’s game and since everyone knows that home games are important I’m sure we’ll put out the fight so that we collect maximum points because we’re at home.”

Horoya, who have as many as 10 foreign players from west and central Africa in their squad, will come to Durban looking for nothing but maximum points after a shock 1-0 defeat at home against ES Setif of Algeria last week.

Having managed to get credible away draws against Sundowns and Chiefs, Horoya will fancy their chances playing against a side who are debutants and surprise entrants in this stage of the competition.

TimesLIVE