AmaZulu FC were narrowly beaten 2-1 by SuperSport United in a DStv Premiership match played at the TUT Stadium in Pretoria on Sunday evening.
As a result, Usuthu remained 12th in the standings and they will be targeting nothing but a victory when they play host to Sekhukhune United on April 29.
Matsatsantsa looked dangerous with their wing play from the first minute and they broke the deadlock in the 15th minute when Thapelo Maseko netted to hand SuperSport a 1-0 lead after his fellow winger Ghampani Lungu had delivered a great cross.
Usuthu then suffered a blow when their reliable goalkeeper Veli Mothwa went down injured just before the half-hour mark and he was replaced by Jody February who was called into action in the 37th minute.
February produced a fine low save as the Mamelodi Sundowns loanee denied Kegan Johannes and the first-half ended with SuperSport leading 1-0 against AmaZulu.
Matsatsantsa didn’t sit back and defend their slender after the restart as they continued to launch attacks which saw Maseka set-up Lungu who beat February to hand SuperSport a 2-0 lead in the 62nd minute.
The introduction of Thabo Qalinge in the 68th minute sparked the visitors into life and they pull one back in the 73rd minute to make it 2-1 when Bonginkosi Ntuli netted with a header following a sublime cross from Thembela Sikhakhane.
AmaZulu then pushed for a late equalizing goal, and the last chance of the game fell for Sphesihle Maduna who was superbly denied by keeper Ricardo Goss in the 90th minute, and ultimately, SuperSport emerged as 2-1 winners on the night.
SuperSport (1) 2 (Maseko 15′, Lungu 62′)
AmaZulu (0) 1 (Ntuli 73′)
SuperSport: Goss, Bhasera, Hlatshwayo, Ditlhokwe, Johannes, Webber (Gabuza 77′), Ndlovu, Mbatha, Maseko (Maswanganyi 84′), Grobler (Lepasa 87′), Lungu.
AmaZulu: Mothwa (February 30′), Mphahlele, Gumede, Sikhakhane, Mobara (Qalinge 68′), Hanamub, Maluleka (Broos 46′), Buchanan, Maduna, Ntuli, Mhango (Kwem 57′).
