 
0 - 0Full Time |
Recap
Dominant Usuthu held by Royal AM
AmaZulu FC and Royal AM drew 0-0 in the DStv Premiership match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
As a result, Usuthu, who dominated the game from start to finish, slipped down to ninth spot on the league standings following a draw in the KwaZulu-Natal Derby clash.
Usuthu saw most of the ball in the opening proceedings and they fired the game’s first shot on the target when goalkeeper Hugo Nyame made a fine save to deny Andre De Jong in the 12th minute.
Keagan Buchanan, who had set up De Jong, was a busy man in the middle of the park pulling the strings as AmaZulu looked to break the deadlock against their KwaZulu-Natal rivals.
Thwihli Thwahla were awarded a free-kick in a promising area in the 33rd minute and their long-range specialist Lantshane Phalane unleashed a shot which flew over keeper Veli Mothwa’s goal-posts.
The score was 0-0 during the half-time break with AmaZulu having started the game brightly, but they couldn’t open the scoring.
Nyame was the busier of the two keepers in the opening stages of the second-half as the Cameroonian shot-stopper produced a magnificent save to deny Luvuyo Memela, who had been set-up by De Jong.
Having become a constant threat to the Royal AM defence, De Jong tried his luck from range and his effort which was heading for the top right corner was superbly saved by Nyame with the visitors’ defence exposed.
Thembela Sikhakhane should have handed Usuthu the lead after he had rounded Nyame, but somehow the former Orlando Pirates full-back fired wide of the target with the goal gaping from close range.
The last chance of the game fell for Victor Letsoalo in stoppage time after Mothwa had punched the ball into his path, but the Royal AM striker’s effort flew over the crossbar and the match ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
AmaZulu 0
Royal 0
AmaZulu: Mothwa, Gumede, Masilela, Xoki, Sikhakhane, Buchanan (Malepe 76′), Makhaula, Mlambo (Sithebe 32′), Mulenga (Moremi 46′), Memela (Mthembu 76′), De Jong (Ntuli 86′).
Royal: Nyame, Mahashe, Manganyi, Phalane, Mahlasela (Ncobeni 90’+4), Lingwati, Monamadi, Potsane (George 86′), Mashiane (Masuku 68′), Letsoalo, Mofokeng (Mabuza 90’+4).
