Amazulu seal Top Eight spot to join Arrows and Maritzburg
AMAZULU’S 1-0 win over Cape Town City in their Premiership match played at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban yesterday assured them of a place in the Top Eight competition for the new campaign.
Defender Mbongeni Gumede’s near post finishing touch after receiving the ball from a free-kick in the 63rd minute, ended up being the difference between the two sides.
While Amazulu will look back at moments of inconsistency on their return season to top-flight football following the purchase of the franchise of 2016/2017 National First Division champions Thanda Royal Zulu in the off-season, City too will be shaking their heads.
While the 2017/2018 season was Benni Mccarthy’s first as a full-time head coach, much was learnt, but the graph shows a downward slant after the club finished second to Mamelodi Sundowns in their infancy season during the previous campaign.
The good news for the Cape side known as ‘The Citizens’ is that they have found a gem in the attacking Bradley ‘Surprise’ Ralani, who created several goal-scoring opportunities for his team-mates, but once again, the visitors’ finishing touches let them down.
Matthew Rusike had the best scoring chance of the match for the Cape Town side, but the ball seemed to bounce unevenly causing the striker to shoot off- target.
Ajax Cape Town, meanwhile, were condemned to the relegation play-offs after going down 2-1 to Kaizer Chiefs at the Cape Town Stadium in their final match of the season yesterday.
In a tense and drama-filled 90 minutes, Bernard Parker put the visitors up just after the interval, Ajax showing spirit to bounce back with a goal from Mosa Lebusa, only for Joseph Molangoane to break the home fans’ hearts with a late winner.
The Cape side, never relegated before, will go into the play-offs with the teams which finished second and third in the National First Division, Black Leopards and Jomo Cosmos, after a 15th place finish in the top flight. Their first match will be away at Leopards in Thohoyandou next Wednesday.
It could still get worse for the Parow-based club if they lose the Tendai Ndoro case – in a worst case scenario that could spell automatic relegation.
With no choice but to win, Ajax were on the front foot from the start. But they struggled to create openings, while Chiefs always looked a threat on the break-away.
The first real chance came on 20 minutes when Roscoe Pietesen’s back-heeled effort struck the upright, before Daniel Cardoso cleared off the goal line.
There was also a good chance for the Urban Warriors 10 minutes before the break when Yannick Zakri created space for himself on the let hand side of the box, but Brilliant Khuzwayo, in for the injured Itumeleng Khune, made an excellent save at the near post.
For Chiefs fans, who have endured a largely unhappy season, the win at least secured third spot on the league standings and brings with it qualification to the 2019 Caf Confederation Cup. – African News Agency