AmaZulu take big step to staving off relegation
AmaZulu significantly boosted their chances of avoiding relegation with a much-needed 1-0 Premiership victory over fellow stragglers Black Leopards at the Lucas Moripe Stadium at the weekend.
With these crucial three points‚ Usuthu moved to 13th spot on the standings and they will be going all out to avoid slip-ups in their remaining two matches, which are against Stellenbosch FC and Highlands Park.
For Leopards‚ while they live to fight for another day‚ this defeat‚ their second in a row‚ leaves them in serious danger as they have dropped to third from the bottom with only two points separating them from Polokwane City in the basement.
In their two remaining matches‚ Leopards are scheduled to play against Bidvest Wits‚ who have ambitions of a top-three finish‚ and Sundowns, who are involved in a two-horse race for the league title with Kaizer Chiefs.
Bonginkosi Ntuli opened the scoring for AmaZulu with his 13th goal of the season when he struck home from close range after connecting with a pass from Lehlohonolo Majoro after seven minutes.
As Usuthu celebrated the opener‚ Leopards’ defenders knew they could have dealt with the situation better as Edwin Gyimah allowed Majoro enough space to deliver the cross and Isaac Masia was slow to close down Ntuli in the box.
AmaZulu missed out on a chance to register the insurance goal after 19 minutes when Majoro failed to connect a cross from Siyethemba Sithebe.
Leopards could have gone to the break level but an acrobatic volley by midfielder Robert Ngambi from close range flew spectacularly over the crossbar on the stroke of half time.