Zwane Hails ‘Unstoppable’ Pirates After Usuthu Rout

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane has labeled Orlando Pirates the “standout team” in South Africa following their 3-0 demolition of Usuthu on Saturday.

The Buccaneers have enjoyed an exceptional campaign, already securing the MTN8, Carling Knockout, and Carling Cup titles earlier in the season. Although they fell short in both the Nedbank Cup and the CAF Champions League, their domestic dominance remains unquestionable.

Currently, Pirates sit at the summit of the Betway Premiership standings with 58 points from 25 matches. They are narrowly ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns, who trail by two points but still have two games in hand, setting up a thrilling title race.

Speaking after Usuthu’s 3-0 defeat to Pirates on Saturday, Zwane shared his admiration for the Soweto giants, highlighting their tactical superiority and squad versatility.

“They are tactically flexible, they are unstoppable, and I’m a fan of top players and the way they play – it makes the opponent struggle against them,” he said.

“They know how and when to overload their strength; that’s what modern football is. You must have dynamic players, and Pirates players are dynamic. When they overload, even their full-backs are comfortable.

“So, anyone at Pirates can score; they don’t rely on strikers only. Even midfielders can score, wingers and wing-backs can score.

“They also keep the ball very well. They shape nicely inside the box because they know how to use a player like [Yanela] Mbuthuma, and if it is not Mbuthuma, it’s Evidence Makgopa. That’s the reason they are the top team in the country.”

Reflecting on his own team’s performance against the Buccaneers, Zwane suggested the match could have unfolded differently had AmaZulu taken their chances early.

“You will never know, and my worry is firstly how we conceded the first goal. We conceded like this even in Bloemfontein, where we had four players against one,” he added.

“We have been working on this, based on not allowing players to shape the ball inside our box because they have good technical players. 

“We allowed (Tshepang) Moremi to do that, and even in the first round it was the same thing – and it was Rele (Relebohile Mofokeng). Rele is short and small; he is not the best in the air with the ball, but technically, he is good.

“If you can look at the first goals we conceded in the first round, and this time, it was the same, and (Yanela) Mbuthuma was alone. We train this, and someone should be tight to the strikers, and we need to drop inside these areas so that the opponent will be frustrated.

“Once the opponent is frustrated, trust me, one of us will catch them. We also got chances in the second half to catch them, but unfortunately, we didn’t take them because they are the best team.”

What’s next for AmaZulu and Pirates?

AmaZulu return to Durban to host Chippa United at Princess Magogo Stadium this Saturday.

Meanwhile, all eyes turn to the FNB Stadium on Sunday for a massive Soweto Derby.

Pirates will look to defend their league summit against fierce rivals Kaizer Chiefs as the title race hits fever pitch.