AmaZulu’s Nightmare Start Echoes Dark Past
The start of AmaZulu’s 2024/25 season has sent alarm bells ringing in Durban, echoing a dark period from a decade ago.
Usuthu currently sit at the bottom of the league table with zero points after four matches, marking their worst start in PSL history, even surpassing the dismal 2014/15 campaign.
Unlike ten years ago, when it took until the 12th game to secure their first victory, current coaches Arthur Zwane and Vusi Vilakazi still have time to turn things around before reaching that point.
After a promising performance against Orlando Pirates in their previous match, Usuthu face a must-win encounter against Chippa United at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday night.
Vilakazi and Zwane replaced Pablo Franco Martin, whose tenure was marked by three consecutive league defeats and overall poor performance. While early signs of improvement were evident in the Carling Knockout Round of 16 against Stellenbosch and the recent Pirates match, the team’s current predicament is a stark reminder of their struggles from a decade ago.
In the 2014/15 season, AmaZulu had only two points after four matches, drawing with Cape Town Spurs, losing to Moroka Swallows, drawing with Pirates, and losing to Bloemfontein Celtic. Despite initial optimism, it took 12 games for the club to secure their first win of the season.
After firing Craig Rosslee, who was replaced by Wilfred Mugeyi as the caretaker coach, the club appointed Steve Barker. The latter won his first game against his former club, the University of Pretoria. However, the team’s late-season surge proved insufficient to avoid relegation.
Heading to the last game of the season against Maritzburg United, AmaZulu found Steve Komphela’s Team of Choice at the wrong time as they had their ambitions in that season, for the first time the club from Umgungundlovu had a chance to finish in the top eight.
Deolin Mekoa silenced the crowd at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the eighth minute as he scored for Maritzburg. Usuthu had to wait until the 72nd minute to get their goal via Thapelo Xoki to even the numbers.
As AmaZulu flooded the numbers forward, they were left exposed at the back as Mohau Mokate scored the winner in the 88th minute for Maritzburg which sent shockwaves in the stadium. It was made worse as Bongani Ndulula had a gilt-edged chance to score an equalizer with Shu-Aib Walters to beat.
But the former Orlando Pirates striker fluffed his chance and the ball sailed wide and AmaZulu was relegated.
It was clear Ndulula’s mind was no longer at AmaZulu as he was going to Kaizer Chiefs in the following season.
One just hopes it doesn’t come to this for AmaZulu because games are coming thick and fast with little preparation in between.
