AmaZulu maintained their unbeaten start under Pablo Franco Martin after playing out to a 0-0 draw with Richards Bay at the at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening.
Usuthu didn’t create too many chances in Durban, but they fought hard to come away with a share of the derby spoils against the Natal Rich Boyz, who remain winless after three games.
Coach Cijimpi made two changes to the team that drew with SuperSport United two weeks ago as Wayde Jooste came in for the suspended Thembela Sikhakhane and Abbubaker Mobara replaced Vuluyeke Zulu in defence.
The visitors went on the attack early on and Nkululeko Miya drilled a shot just wide of the near post from an angle on the left in the fourth minute before our first chance saw Augustine Kwem clear the crossbar with a strike from Jooste’s cross on six minuites.
Veli Mothwa was alert to the danger as he made two saves in the space of four minutes to keep out long-range efforts from Thobani Mthembu midway through the first half.
Kwem went close to opening the scoring five minutes before half-time as he fired narrowly wide of the left post from a free-kick, with the two teams heading into the break still deadlocked at 0-0.
Mbongeni Gumede was presented with a good opportunity early in the second half, but he wasn’t able to hit the target with a header from a corner in the 51st minute.
Martin went to his bench just after the hour mark in a bid to get a result, with Tshepang Moremi coming on for Victor Letsoalo, while Tercious Malepe made way for Bongi Ntuli.
Ethan Brooks and Kwem lasted another 15 minutes before they were replaced by Hendrik Ekstein and Rowan Human respectively.
After Richards Bay wasted a couple of chances to win it in the closing stages, Human almost made them pay at the death when he forced a save out of Jamal Salim from a free-kick in the final minute.
AmaZulu (0) 0
Richards Bay (0) 0
AmaZulu: V. Mothwa, M. Gumede, R. Mphahlele, A. Mobara, R. Hanamub, V. Letsoalo (T. Moremi 64′), E. Brooks ((H. Ekstein 79′), T. Malepe (B. Ntuli 64′), C. Ngema, W. Jooste, A. Kwem (R. Human 78′).
