Mzava: AmaZulu out to inflict more pain on relegation-battling Kaizer Chiefs

13 January 2021 - 11:19 By Sazi Hadebe
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Limbikani Mzava of AmaZulu FC is to late to prevent Pule Mmodi of Lamontville Golden Arrows taking a shot at goal during the DStv Premiership match between Amazulu and Golden Arrows at Jonsson Kings Park stadium on December 16, 2020 in Durban, South Africa.
Limbikani Mzava of AmaZulu FC is to late to prevent Pule Mmodi of Lamontville Golden Arrows taking a shot at goal during the DStv Premiership match between Amazulu and Golden Arrows at Jonsson Kings Park stadium on December 16, 2020 in Durban, South Africa.
Image: Gerhard Duraan/BackPagePix/Gallo Images

AmaZulu are eager to punish Kaizer Chiefs again after contributing to Amakhosi missing out on winning the league championship in the 2019-20 campaign.

Bongi Ntuli’s goal helped a last-placed Usuthu beat then table-topping Chiefs 1-0 at FNB Stadium in March and that defeat formed part of the reason why Amakhosi fans had to watch in dismay as Mamelodi Sundowns pipped their team to the league title on the last day of last season.

Speaking ahead of the DStv Premiership tie between these two sides at the Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Wednesday‚ AmaZulu defender Limbikani Mzava said they’ll be happy to inflict more misery on Chiefs‚ who have started the 2020-21 campaign poorer than their KwaZulu-Natal opponents.

Now coached by former Cape Town City coach and Bafana Bafana star Benni McCarthy‚ Usuthu will be without the injured Ntuli‚ who scored a 44th-minute winner in what was Ayanda Dlamini’s first match as head coach of the Durban club against Chiefs last season.

That win was a third one for Usuthu against Chiefs in the PSL era and the first since 2007. The three points ultimately helped Dlamini’s team escape relegation in 2019-20.

Mzava said playing at home will add a great advantage to Usuthu in Wednesday game.

“Of course I know people say Chiefs are not in a good way now‚ are not performing and all that. But we know in football you can’t just talk but you need to perform on the field‚” said the Malawian defender‚ who joined amaZulu from now defunct Highlands Park in the off-season.

“So I feel like if we have one goal as a team – we have to win this game because we need three points more than them.

“We don’t care that they’re down [14th placed] or they’re not doing well. We’re focussing on each and every game and to collect maximum three points.”

Since McCarthy took over from Dlamini at the end of last year Usuthu have collected four points in two games after beating Chippa United (3-1) and drawing with Bloemfontein Celtic (1-1).

Mzava feels they’re now developing an understating with McCarthy who has his former Bafana teammate and ex-Usuthu striker Siyabonga Nomvete as one of his two assistants.

“So far‚ so good‚” the defender said on working with McCarthy.

“When I joined the team I said all the coaches have got their own tactics. Having been coached by coach Dlamini I feel like everything was okay also.

“But coach Benni also comes in and I see how he wants us to play. We’re adjusting to it well and I can see that with four or five games with him as a coach‚ I feel like we’re going to be perfect.

“I can see that if we concede it’s just our mistakes‚ not the way he wants us to play. The way he wants us to play I feel like we won’t concede‚ we’ll have more clean sheets.”

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