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Recap
Red-hot Usuthu edge Swallows
AmaZulu FC continued their great form in the DStv Premiership when they claimed a 3-2 win over Swallows FC at the Dobsonville Stadium on Friday night.
The victory took Usuthu to the top of the league standings having recorded three consecutive wins and the team will now face Lamontville Golden Arrows in the KwaZulu-Natal Derby clash on Wednesday.
Amaswaiswai created good chances in the opening stages with Waseem Isaacs failing to score after being sent through on goal and Lindokuhle Mtshali forced goalkeeper Veli Mothwa into a magnificent save at the near-post.
The hosts were left to rue their missed chances when eventual Man of the Match Keagan Buchanan played a looped pass for Frank Mhango who beat keeper Thakasani Mbanjwa with an excellent finish to hand AmaZulu a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute.
Swallows continued to launch attacks after conceding and they managed to level matters when Mbongeni Gumede netted an own goal from Tshidiso Pantjie’s free-kick to make it 1-1 in the 43rd minute and the score was level at half-time.
Amaswaiswai played on the counterattack after the restart and they were awarded a penalty when Abbubaker Mobara was adjudged to have fouled Lindokuhle Mtshali in the visitors’ box. Debutant Keagan Allan then beat Mothwa from the spot-kick to hand Swallows a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute.
However, AmaZulu fought back with Mhango determined to grab his second goal of the game. Parity was restored when Mbanjwa scored an own goal from Mhango’s cross to make it 2-2 in the 79th minute much to the dismay of the Swallows players and technical team.
The two teams then pushed for a late winning goal in the closing proceedings and it was Gumede who grabbed it when he netted in the last minute of the match when he headed home Riaan Hanamub’s set-piece to seal AmaZulu’s 3-2 win on the night.
Swallows (1) 2 (Gumede 43′, Allan 66′)
AmaZulu (1) 3 (Mhango 24′, Mbanjwa 79′, Gumede 90′)
Swallows: Mbanjwa, Lukhubeni, Sasman (Shwabule 46′), Sait, Khupe, Allan, Mvelase (Makua 68′), L.Mtshali (Amoojee 87′), Mthethwa, Patjie (Khumalo 68′), Isaacs (S. Mtshali 68′).
AmaZulu: Mothwa, Sikhakhane, Hanamub, Gumede, Mobara (Mphahlele 76′), Buchanan (Maduna 90′), Maluleka (Brooks 77′), Makhaula, Mhango, Kwem (Zuma 77′), Ntuli (Majoro 83′).
