Usuthu ready for survival fight

AmaZulu say they are raring to go and just waiting for word from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) on the start date for the remainder of the 2019/20 season. Usuthu started training last week and club spokesperson, Brilliant Mkhathini says everything has been going well.

“We did everything to remain compliant and were given the goahead to start training last week already. The players and everyone else look eager to resume playing again. They have missed the game,” Mkhathini told Phakaaathi Plus yesterday.

He said the club was happy that none of their players had tested positive for Covid-19 and showed that they had been taking good care of themselves and observed all the lockdown protocols.

“The morale of the team is quite high and we are now just waiting for word as to when the games will start...we hope it will be soon because the players are so excited and want to help the team (to get) away from the unfortunate place we find ourselves in at the moment,” said Mkhathini.

Usuthu were second-from-bottom in the Absa Premiership in March when games were stopped because of the Covid-19 pandemic, having amassed just 23 points in 24 matches.

But the team – who had just appointed former striker, Ayanda Dlamini as caretaker coach, with Jozef Vukusic suspended – were finding some form after registering a good win against Kaizer Chiefs away in their last game. Mkhathini said they hoped to continue on from there.

The team’s new midfielder Siphelele Magubane said the team were not giving up and remained confident that they would still be in the top-flight next season.

“Well, every family goes through a rough patch, or a tough season in our case,” he told the club’s website.

“So, we are facing a struggle to survive in the league. However, it is about how we overcome the challenge we are facing, or how we handle the situation we are currently facing. Definitely, we are winners and we do not quit.”