Zwane Eyes Benni McCarthy’s 54-Point Record

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane says the best approach for his side is to take things one game at a time as Usuthu look to match the points tally achieved under Benni McCarthy.

During McCarthy’s tenure, the former Manchester United first-team coach guided Usuthu to 54 points and a second-place finish in the Betway Premiership—the club’s highest tally and best finish in the PSL era, in the 2020/21 season.

Zwane is now edging closer to that mark with a youthful squad averaging 24 years of age, which has exceeded expectations in his first full season in charge, unlike McCarthy’s experienced side.

Usuthu currently sit on 42 points after 26 matches in fourth place, having thrashed Chippa United 5–1 this past weekend. Winning their remaining four games would see them reach the 54-point mark.

However, that may not be enough for a second-place finish, with Orlando Pirates currently on 59 points and Kaizer Chiefs in third on 47 points.

AmaZulu’s remaining fixtures appear favourable: Golden Arrows at home on 6 May, bottom-placed Orbit College away on 9 May, Kaizer Chiefs at home on 16 May, and a final match against Durban City on 23 May. Notably, their only away game outside Durban is against Orbit College.

Zwane admitted his team has punched above its weight, although expectations behind the scenes have been high, and they will continue to push in the remaining matches.

“What is important for us is to take one game at a time, season by season,” said Zwane.

“With this current group of players, we didn’t expect too much, to be honest, although internally we were very ambitious.

“We planned well in terms of analysing other teams and identifying where we could capitalise. We knew this season that Orlando Pirates would be one of the teams to watch.

“The players will tell you—we analysed every team. We understood that a team like Sundowns would have players involved in major competitions, including the FIFA Club World Cup and the CAF Champions League.

“At some point, that affects them. If you watch Sundowns now, they no longer play at a high tempo all the time—they manage games.

“But Pirates come at you relentlessly. We had to assess ourselves and ask: who can we compete against, and where do we have the best chance?

“Credit must go to the group we have assembled. This was a season many teams could have taken advantage of if they had planned well.

“The congested schedule was always going to impact Sundowns. That’s why they may not have prioritised competitions like the Nedbank Cup.

“When you consider the Nedbank Cup, the Champions League, and international commitments, it becomes overwhelming for players.

“We targeted all teams, but we identified Orlando Pirates as the main threat.”