Relegation-threatened AmaZulu ‘have to turn Lucas Moripe Stadium into Durban’
AmaZulu have to turn Lucas Moripe Stadium “into Durban”‚ coach Ayanda Dlamini has said‚ aware that his second-last Absa Premiership team have lost a sizeable advantage in their relegation battle by having to move to Gauteng for the return to football.
AmaZulu arrived in the Gauteng bio-safe environment on Monday‚ and began training on Tuesday for their first game back from the suspension of football due to Covid-19 against 13th-placed Baroka FC in a key relegation clash on Saturday.
The match against a team two places above them‚ but level on points (23) and matches (24)‚ is at Usuthu’s assigned home ground for the period of the biobubble‚ Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
Caretaker-coach Dlamini acknowledges that for the struggling Durban side the loss of home ground advantage at their various Durban venues this campaign‚ where they would have played four of their last six games in front of their supporters‚ removes an advantage for a team who need all the benefits they can get.
“To be honest it has changed a lot of things‚” former Usuthu striker Dlamini told an SA Football Journalists Association press conference.
“But now we have to take it as it is. It doesn’t matter where we play — for us it’s just survival now and trying to keep the team in the PSL.
“We have told the players that we are given a home now‚ which is Lucas Moripe Stadium‚ and then we have to make that our home.
“We have to make sure that we turn that into Durban‚ and that no team comes out with the points from that stadium.”
As a counterbalance to the disadvantage of losing their home ground‚ the long suspension of football has allowed AmaZulu to nurse some key players back from injury.
Right-back Thembela Sikhakhane and forwards Lehlohonolo Majoro and Charlie Hlalele are available for the restart.
“In that case it [the break] has been a big blessing‚ because we need all the players now for these six games‚” Dlamini said.
“Remember [midfielder] Butholezwe Ncube got injured against Kaizer Chiefs‚ and he has also recovered now. Charlie Hlalele was out for the whole season‚ and we’ve got him.
“Majoro is also back and working very hard. So it has helped a lot in that sense.”
AmaZulu shocked league leaders Chiefs 1-0 at FNB Stadium on March 7‚ in their last game before the suspension came into effect.
Usuthu have laboured to six wins‚ five draws and 13 defeats in 2019-20‚ but will feel they have some points to gain from a run-in of Baroka (home)‚ Bidvest Wits (away)‚ Bloemfontein Celtic (H)‚ Black Leopards (H)‚ Stellenbosch FC (A) and Highlands Park (H).
As a balance to the disadvantage of losing their home ground‚ the long suspension has allowed AmaZulu to nurse key players back from injury