AmaZulu FC racked up a second successive win in the Betway Premiership after they thrashed Chippa United 3-0 at the Buffalo City Stadium on Saturday night.
Usuthu weathered a storm from the Chilli Boys through most of the first half, before claiming the lead via Hendrick Ekstein. In the second half, Arthur Zwane’s men went up a couple of gears and added to their advantage through Athini Maqokolo and a penalty from Ekstein, before controlling the game in the final quarter and picking up an important three points on the road.
AmaZulu find themselves fifth on the Premiership log with 18 points from 10 matches – just four points off the pace of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, having played a game less than the table toppers.
Chippa had an early chance to take the lead when they were awarded a soft penalty, but Goodman Mosele’s strike from the spot was well saved by AmaZulu goalkeeper Darren Johnson.
The hosts went on to dominate possession and territory for most of the first half, though they struggled to find a way through the visiting team’s defence.
Chippa’s patience had already begun to wane by the half-hour mark, when defender Idumba Fasika let fly from long range and forced a sharp save from Johnson to keep the score line blank.
AmaZulu then claimed the lead against the run of play in the 42nd minute, with Nkosikhona Radebe turning defence into attack down the right flank before squaring for Hendrick Ekstein, who scored with a composed side-footed finish for 1-0.
A goal up at the break, Usuthu needed just eight minutes of the second half to double their advantage. Substitute Tebogo Mashigo did great work to hold up the ball in the penalty area before picking out the late run of Athini Maqokolo, who drove to the goal mouth with three defenders around him before passing the ball beyond Stanley Nwabali for 2-0.
Nwabali really should have done more to apply pressure for the second goal, but he then made up for that with two excellent saves to deny Ekstein and Mashigo around the hour mark, keeping the Chilli Boys clinging to life in the match.
However, AmaZulu effectively ended the game as a contest when Ekstein scored from the penalty spot in the 66th minute. Maqokolo earned the spot kick with a burst of pace down the left side of the 18-yard area, drawing a clumsy foul from Harold Majadibodu.
The final quarter of the game saw Usuthu throttle down, defend their own box and control the game – with Chippa unable to fashion any clear chances to spark hopes of a comeback.
The teams will return to Betway Premiership action next midweek, with AmaZulu hosting Polokwane City, and Chippa United welcoming Magesi FC – both on the evening of Tuesday 4 November.
Chippa United 0
AmaZulu FC (1) 3 (Ekstein 42’ 66’ pen, Maqokolo 53’)
Chippa: Nwabali, Fasika, Seabi (Gamildien 90+3′), Majadibodu, Mfecane (Hlophe 64’), Modise, Mosele, Konqobe (Tshobeni 80’), Kammies, Ntsundwana (Figuareido 46’), Eva Nga (Matrose 64’)
AmaZulu: Johnson, Allan (Zungu 79’), Mthethwa, Maqokolo (Zikhali 85’), Radebe, Mbanjwa (Fielies 79’), Hlangabeza, Hanamub, Ekstein (Kambindu 79’), Ngcobo, Kutumela (Mashigo 40’)
