AmaZulu FC will resume their 2022-23 DStv Premiership campaign with a match against Stellenbosch FC at the Danie Craven Stadium on Friday.
Kick-off is at 7:30 pm CAT.
Usuthu are undefeated in their last two league matches, but they succumbed to a 5-4 defeat to Dondol Stars on penalties after a 1-1 draw in a Nedbank Cup Last 16 game on March 8.
Usuthu find themselves placed eighth on the league standings – three points behind sixth-placed Richards Bay as the KwaZulu-Natal giants look to cement their spot in the top eight.
Romain Folz, the AmaZulu head coach, has identified an area which needs improving following their defeat to Dondol Stars.
“We can clearly see what was missing. It was the accuracy in finishing. We could have been four goals up in the first half if we were more clinical, so I’m very disappointed with what I saw in the finishing department,” Folz said.
“A lot of things should be done in that department and a lot of thinking should be done from the players because when you get chances like that, it’s not the field, it’s not the referee, it’s not anything — it’s just you missing the chances.”
Meanwhile, Stellenbosch are in great form at the moment having hammered TS Galaxy 6-3 in a Nedbank Cup Last 16 match on March 12 and it was their fifth win in their last six competitive games.
The Western Cape side is currently placed 10th on the DStv Premiership standings – two points behind seventh-placed Royal AM as the race to finish in the top eight hots up.
Stellies will be without Venezuelan attacker Juan Carlos Ortíz who is nursing a long-term injury, but the club has no suspension worries coming into the clash with Usuthu.
On the other hand, Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Keagan Buchanan will be missing as the AmaZulu duo is suspended and the club is yet to report injuries ahead of their latest game.
Head-to-Head
ALL LEAGUE RESULTS
Season Result Scorers
2019/20 AmaZulu 2-0 Stellenbosch Ntuli 2 (1 pen)
2019/20 Stellenbosch 1-1 AmaZulu Skelem; Maduna
2020/21 AmaZulu 2-1 Stellenbosch Ntuli, Majoro; Van Heerden
2020/21 Stellenbosch 0-1 AmaZulu Qalinge
2021/22 Stellenbosch 2-2 AmaZulu Dimgba, Du Preez; Maduna, Buchanan
2021/22 AmaZulu 2-2 Stellenbosch Ceesay, Sikhakhane; Du Preez, Ortiz
2022/23 AmaZulu 1-0 Stellenbosch Bwalya
LEAGUE RECORD (since 2019/20)
Home
PWDLGFGA
Stellenbosch 3 0 2 1 3 4
AmaZulu 4 3 1 0 7 3
Away
PWDLGFGA
Stellenbosch 4 0 1 3 3 7
AmaZulu 3 1 2 0 4 3
Total
PWDLGFGA
Stellenbosch 7 0 3 4 6 11
AmaZulu 7 4 3 0 11 6
