Zwane Fancies AmaZulu’s Chances Against ‘Wounded’ Sundowns
AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane believes his side is well-positioned to upset a “wounded” Mamelodi Sundowns when the two sides clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday.
The Brazilians arrive in Durban looking to reclaim their footing after a shock exit from the Nedbank Cup Round of 16 at the hands of TS Galaxy on Saturday.
Usuthu head into the encounter on a high after overcoming provincial rivals Richards Bay on Friday to book their place in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals. Sundowns, meanwhile, were knocked out in the round of 16 by TS Galaxy on Saturday.
Miguel Cardoso’s side made 10 changes for the loss to Galaxy, with Nuno Santos the only player retained from the starting line-up that featured in their previous match. The Portuguese coach had rotated his squad after two demanding fixtures — a CAF Champions League group-stage clash against MC Alger and a blockbuster league encounter against Orlando Pirates last Wednesday.
With a win in Durban set to take Sundowns to the top of the Betway Premiership standings, Cardoso is expected to recall his strongest XI for the trip to KwaZulu-Natal.
“The turnaround time has been very short,” said Zwane.
“Obviously, we knew we would find ourselves in this situation, so we can’t complain. It’s part and parcel of the game and our preparations.
“Like any other match, we treat it with the utmost respect. There are three points at stake, and there’s also a position we want to secure.
“We fancy our chances because we are playing at home. It won’t be easy — we are up against a wounded team.
“You saw that they rested most of the players who played against Orlando Pirates, which tells you they are prioritising the Champions League and the league.”
Despite their weekend defeat, Sundowns will draw confidence from their recent record against AmaZulu. They won 2-0 in the reverse fixture in Pretoria and have beaten Usuthu in seven of their last eight meetings in all competitions.
AmaZulu’s last victory over Sundowns came in December 2021 at Kings Park Stadium, when Augustine Mulenga scored the winner under then-coach Benni McCarthy.
“We are playing a wounded Sundowns and probably the best team available for selection,” Zwane added.
“We will have to bring our A-game again if we want to collect maximum points.”
