Bucs get lucky with AmaZulu
AmaZulu will be right to feel aggrieved that they only got to share the spoils with Orlando Pirates on the dubious penalty awarded to the visitors in their opening DStv Premiership encounter at Kings Park Stadium in Durban last night.
In a scrappy affair that could have gone either way, Pirates got a questionable penalty in the 18th minute after Bucs midfielder Siphesihle Ndlovu was tackled outside the box by Sibusiso Mabiliso but referee Abongile Tom pointed to the spot.
Last season’s PSL joint top scorer Gabadinho Mhango stepped up to score the opening goal for Bucs but the lead didn’t last much longer as Usuthu were deservedly awarded a spot kick of their own in the 33rd minute.
This time AmaZulu’s new signing and former Bucs midfielder Vuyo Memela was roughly handled by Fortune Makaringe inside the area and Tom, maybe feeling guilty over what he had done earlier, duly pointed to the spot for Lehlohonolo Majoro to score the equaliser for the Durban outfit.
It showed from the exchanges that both sides still needed to do a lot in polishing their combinations, with so many wayward passes which made the match an unwatchable spectacle.
Bucs coach Josef Zinnbauer introduced two changes at the restart, bringing on Vincent Pule for Deon Hotto and Thembinkosi Lorch for Ndlovu but still Bucs, who’ve dominated this fixture over recent years, failed to find the winning goal.
AmaZulu looked the brighter side in the second stanza with Majoro denied a second goal by Bucs goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands before the hour mark.
It was expected that Pirates would continue their dominance over Usuthu as they had won four league matches out of 10 in the last seven years in this fixture. Usuthu’s last win against Pirates was a 1-0 victory courtesy of Bongani Ndulula's strike away in 2013.
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Sandile Zungu, who has said he wants to see this team finishing in the top four, Usuthu looked organised, determined and committed throughout this match.
But when it comes to the football dished out, both sides failed to live up to the expectations as there were few clear-cut chances created at both ends.
Pirates will hope for a better outcome when they host Stellenbosch FC at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday while Usuthu will be away to TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga on the same day.
Other results late on Saturday: Cape Town City 1 Chippa United 1; SuperSport United v Black Leopards finished late due to inclement weather.