Five games where Benni proved he is a tactical genius
AMAZULU'S Benni McCarthy definitely deserved to win the Coach of the Season award. The former Bafana Bafana striker inherited a team which did not have as many resources as the so-called “Big 3” but still managed to guide them to a second place finish, their highest placing in the PSL era.
Here, Eshlin Vedan looks at five matches in which McCarthy proved he is a tactical genius.
Golden Arrows 0-1 AmaZulu (May 2021): Playing against a high-flying Arrows side, McCarthy's Usuthu side claimed victory with Luvuyo Memela scoring the only goal of the game.
McCarthy proved his tactical nous here as his side won the game even though Arrows were arguably the better team on the day. His formation ensured that his side were able to fend of the Arrows onslaught at the death.
Cape Town City 1-5 AmaZulu (April 2021):
McCarthy's return to the Western Cape to square off against his former employers was a fantastic trip and their highest margin of victory in the top-flight since the inception of the PSL. McCarthy managed to get his attackers to fully exploit the City defence which was shaky all season.
AmaZulu 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns (April 2021): Even though Usuthu had only 37% possession, it's safe to say that this encounter could have gone either way, depending on who had that bit of luck.
Even though Sundowns were technically stronger than Usuthu, the KZN-based club used transition tactics well, so much so that they managed to match Sundowns in terms of shots at goal - 10 apiece.
AmaZulu 4-3 Bloemfontein Celtic (February 2021):
Two players who transformed under the leadership of McCarthy were midfielder Makhehlene Makhaula and defender Thapelo Xoki. Makhaula expertly played a Claude Makhelele-type role in this game, with defender Xoki hitting a stunner to win the game in second half stoppage time. Previous Usuthu sides would have been content to settle for a draw.
AmaZulu 0-0 Maritzburg United (June 2021):
This might come as a surprise to many but in Usuthu's final game of the season, the AmaZulu coach proved that he also cares about the fans, and the well-being of his players. Some coaches would have played a full-strength team in a dead-rubber with Usuthu having already secured second spot.
McCarthy opted to give the fans something to be excited about by handing starts to fringe players, including PSL legend Siphiwe Tshabalala and New Zealander Andre de Jong.