AmaZulu FC will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the DStv Premiership when they face Moroka Swallows at the Dobsonville Stadium on Friday.
Kick-off is at 7:30 pm CAT.
Usuthu stretched their unbeaten run to three matches in the local top-flight when they drew 0-0 with Polokwane City away on September 25.
AmaZulu find themselves placed eighth on the DStv Premiership standings – three points behind fourth-placed SuperSport United as Usuthu target a top-four spot with a win.
Franco Martin, the AmaZulu head coach, explained why Ben Motshwari was an unused substitute against Polokwane and he also indicated that the midfielder could play against Swallows.
“His fitness level is inferior to the one that [Taariq] Fielies showed us in the previous training sessions. From there we were planning,” Franco Martin said.
“And I wished I could have given him some game time. Because we really wanted to help him get fitter and fitter. “But we couldn’t because of the situation of the game.
“And we thought it was not the right moment to risk him. Let’s see if in the next game he can get his game time because the same as I said with Fielies he is a player who is going to help us.”
Meanwhile, Swallows emerged as a 2-0 winners over Stellenbosch FC away on September 19 and the win saw the Soweto giants bounce back to winning ways in the league.
Amaswaiswai are currently occupying the sixth spot on the DStv Premiership standings – three points behind third-placed SuperSport, but the former have a better goal difference.
Steve Komphela, the Swallows head coach, expressed his delight after masterminding a win over Stellenbosch in the Western Cape.
“It was a nice match, but the highlight for me is keeping a clean sheet,” Komphela said.
“The goalkeepers, goalkeeping coach, and the entire technical team, they have been fighting hard that we need to keep a clean sheet. If you don’t concede you won’t lose a match.
“But above that scoring two goals, the weather was quite bad it was slippery. You learn that by bringing in the right type of equipment (players) we could have scored more goals. But we are delighted with the victory.”
AmaZulu will welcome back Mbongeni Gumede from suspension when they take on Swallows.
Head-to-Head
LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS
Season Result Scorers
2013/14 AmaZulu 1-0 Swallows Ndulula
2013/14 Swallows 0-0 AmaZulu
2014/15 Swallows 2-1 AmaZulu Mungomeni, Chabangu; G. Dlamini
2014/15 AmaZulu 1-2 Swallows Ndulula; Nomvethe, Cohen
2020/21 Swallows 0-0 AmaZulu
2020/21 AmaZulu 1-0 Swallows Xoki (pen)
2021/22 AmaZulu 0-0 Swallows
2021/22 Swallows 0-1 AmaZulu Maduna
2022/23 Swallows 2-3 AmaZulu Allan 2 (1 pen); Mhango, Mbanjwa (og), Gumede
2022/23 AmaZulu 0-1 Swallows Malinga
LEAGUE RECORD (since 1985)
Home
P W D L GF GA
Swallows 29 11 11 7 38 35
AmaZulu 29 10 9 10 31 32
Away
P W D L GF GA
Swallows 29 10 9 10 32 31
AmaZulu 29 7 11 11 35 38
Total
P W D L GF GA
Swallows 58 21 20 17 70 66
AmaZulu 58 17 20 21 66 70
