AMAZULU came back from a goal down to beat highly rated Free State Stars 2-1 at King Zwelithi Stadium in Umlazi yesterday.
The win is a huge morale boost ahead of Usuthu’s next league clash with wounded Bidvest Wits at Milpark’s Bidvest Stadium next Wednesday.
This was AmaZulu’s second home win after they beat Baroka FC in their opening match. Usuthu will now tackle dejected Wits, who lost their first match of the season at home to SuperSport United on Saturday.
AmaZulu and Ea Lla Koto will have a bit of a rest as they are not involved in the MTN8 Cup this coming weekend.
Stars were eliminated by Kaizer Chiefs in the quarterfinals while Usuthu were controversially booted from the competition via the boardroom.
Initially AmaZulu finished in the top eight but their place was taken by SuperSport after the controversial case involving Tendai Ndoro and Ajax Cape Town.
The match against Wits is a grudge game for AmaZulu, who lost 3-2 the last time the teams met at Bidvest Stadium.
Usuthu fans have striker Emiliano Tade to thank for coming up with a long range shot to grab the equaliser in the 54th minute. Mhlengi Cele, who came on for Tade, then scored the winner a minute before full-time.
AmaZulu initially found themselves behind just four minutes into the game due to a lack of communication between goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs and captain Mbongeni Gumede, who scored an own goal via a back pass.
The goal jolted Usuthu into action as they showed great fighting spirit to swing the game in their favour.
It was Stars who had the better chance of getting a second goal but they failed to utilise the chances they created in the first half.
Although Usuthu dominated ball possession, they did nothing to trouble Stars’ No 1 keeper Olivier Kwizera.
Kwizera could not stop Tade’s long range shot but the goalkeeper should blame his defenders for giving the Argentinian space to take a shot at goal.
