AmaZulu FC will go head to head with Lamontville Golden Arrows in Saturday’s DStv Premiership match at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban.
Kick-off is at 3:00 pm CAT.
Usuthu fought back to hold champions Mamelodi Sundowns to a 2-2 draw at home on May 3 and they are now undefeated in their last two games in the league.
Usuthu are occupying the 11th spot on the DStv Premiership standings – four points above the relegation zone and three points behind seventh-placed Sekhukhune United with two games left.
“The game is very important because it is also a derby,” AmaZulu striker Augustine Chidi Kwem said.
“The whole season we haven’t had good results in derby matches against Royal AM even when we played Golden Arrows we lost in the first round, and [against] Maritzburg [United] we managed to get [two] draws.
“It is a must-win match, especially with our eyes on the top eight. The fans must come out in numbers and we hope that this time we won’t disappoint them,” he continued.
“A victory in one of the derbies towards the end of the season would be a good thank you to the fans.”
Meanwhile, Arrows managed to hold Cape Town City to a 0-0 draw away on May 3, but the stalemate extended their winless run to three matches in the league.
The KwaZulu-Natal side is placed ninth on the DStv Premiership standings – five points above the relegation zone and three points behind sixth-placed Stellenbosch FC with two games left.
“No we’re not under pressure but it is something that we wish to see,” Arrows co-head coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi said.
“At the beginning of the season [we said] we want to see ourselves in the top eight but we are not under pressure at all.
“When we were given a chance to lead the team there was no mandate whatsoever but obviously as coaches and also as players we had targets that we set for ourselves in terms of making sure that we finished in the top eight,’ he added.
“So it is still possible and we are left with two games playing AmaZulu FC and also Chippa United, so we should get at least four if not six points.”
Pule Mmodi recently returned from injury and Arrows have no suspension concerns coming into the KwaZulu-Natal Derby match.
AmaZulu, on the other hand, will be without the suspended Sphesihle Maduna and the club is yet to report injuries ahead of this encounter.
Head-to-Head
LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS
Season Result Scorers
2017/18 AmaZulu 2-1 Arrows Sithebe 2; Mutizwa
2018/19 AmaZulu 2-0 Arrows Ntuli 2 (1 pen)
2018/19 Arrows 1-1 AmaZulu Lunga; Ouro-Akoriko
2019/20 Arrows 1-1 AmaZulu Sibiya (pen); Ntuli (pen)
2019/20 AmaZulu 1-2 Arrows Sithebe; Mutizwa 2 (1 pen)
2020/21 AmaZulu 0-2 Arrows Sibiya (pen), Ndwandwe
2020/21 Arrows 0-1 AmaZulu Memela
2021/22 Arrows 2-2 AmaZulu Mutizwa (pen), Mathiane; Mlambo, Ntuli (pen)
2021/22 AmaZulu 1-2 Arrows Maduna; Ndwandwe, Sibiya (pen)
2022/23 AmaZulu 0-1 Arrows Mmodi
LEAGUE RECORD (since 2001/02)
Home
PWDLGFGA
Arrows 15 6 3 6 21 18
AmaZulu 16 6 3 7 14 14
Away
PWDLGFGA
Arrows 16 7 3 6 14 14
AmaZulu 15 6 3 6 18 21
Total
PWDLGFGA
Arrows 31 13 6 12 35 32
AmaZulu 31 12 6 13 32 35