Arrows and AmaZulu’s top billing justified
IT’S amazing what a few years of reconstruction can do for a club. That the two KwaZulu-Natal-based sides Golden Arrows and AmaZulu will meet in a top of the table derby clash this afternoon proves how much they’ve seized the second bite at the cherry.
Rewind back to the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons, Arrows and AmaZulu were relegated from the top flight. The former only stayed in the wilderness for a season, regaining topflight status through automatic promotion under coach Shaun Bartlett.
Usuthu, meanwhile, had to do things the hard way and via the back door by buying the status of then newly promoted and now defunct side Thanda Royal Zulu two seasons after their relegation, while they were still under the management of the Sokhela family.
Fast track to this season. AmaZulu have been a source of joy to the Zulu nation and their supporters at large as they are among the pacesetters – second on the log standings and a point behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns who have two games in hand.
Usuthu's turnaround has been propelled by the ambitious Zungu family who roped in Benni McCarthy as the coach after demanding a topfour finish from the team. The latter has embraced the project, demanding more from his players than they were giving his predecessors.
The signing of goalkeeper Veli Mothwa late last year has worked wonders as he’s kept numerous clean sheets, but it’s been upfront where Usuthu have been the most dangerous as they recently thumped McCarthy’s former employers, Cape Town City, 5-1 this week.
Usuthu’s striking contingent consists of players such as Luvuyo Memela, Augustine Mulenga, Siphelele Mthembu, Thabo Qalinge and Lehlohonolo Majoro. The quintet are former Orlando Pirates players, although they played for the club in different generations.
Under McCarthy, who had already coached some of them before the reunion at Usuthu, they’ve met a former prolific striker they can learn a lot from. And that’s why Arrows’ defence has to ensure it's solid for the duration of the match today.
Unlike at Usuthu where the Zungus have splashed cash for a squad upgrade, third-placed Arrows have had to depend mostly on their youth graduates. But they’ve assembled the technical team around coach Mandla Ncikazi who played a stellar role in the growth of these players.
Sifiso Mlungwana has shone for the side between the sticks, getting a call-up to the preliminary squad of the South Africa Under-23 team for the Olympic Games, but he’s also got a stellar defensive wall that’s made up of fellow youth graduates such as Nkosinathi Sibisi.
Upfront, Abafana Bes’thende’s sharpshooters are led by Zimbabwean talisman Knox Mutizwa. His seamless understanding with players such as Ntsako Makhubela and Pule Mmodi who operate coming from the midfield will test Usuthu’s defensive strength.
But while AmaZulu and Arrows are cruising, Sundowns have been stuttering. They are winless in their last three games, after two draws and one loss. But perhaps the imminent return of striker Peter Shalulile against Orlando Pirates tomorrow will overturn their fortunes.
Shalulile has been Sundowns’ best player of the season thus far, scoring crucial goals for them. But ever since he suffered an injury a few weeks ago, they have not had a target man, with the experiments on Kermit Erasmus and Gift Motupa not paying any dividends. Pirates are in search of a top two finish, and they’ll believe that getting a win against Sundowns will keep their aspirations alive. But they’ll need to dig deep, use every opportunity they have upfront, as they'll not be fresh after playing away in continental football this week.
The team that needs points more is Kaizer Chiefs. Amakhosi are languishing in the doldrums of the bottom half of the standings after two contrasting results this week. They beat Sundowns before losing to relegation threatened Chippa United four days later.
They’ll cross paths with Bloemfontein Celtic away from home this afternoon, needing a better plan and fortune. Chiefs have the ability of dominating possession but their finishing has always let them down, according to coach Gavin Hunt.
Striker Samir Nurkovic, who was one of the deadliest poachers last season up front, has to step up in the last stages of the season. Keeper Itumeleng Khune, who made his 350th appearance for the club against Chippa, needs to start keeping clean sheets as well.