Zwane urges AmaZulu squad to share Ngwenya’s goalscoring responsibility

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane has called on his players to ease the pressure on Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, insisting the club cannot depend solely on the in-form striker for goals.

Ngwenya scored his eighth league goal of the season as AmaZulu beat Polokwane City 1-0 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.

The Zimbabwean international’s goal secured maximum points for AmaZulu, but Zwane wants more players to contribute when the team returns from the international break.

“We don’t want to rely on him. Other players must also play their part. We are happy for him [Ngwenya], and hopefully he will continue where he left off when we come back from the international break,” Zwane said.

Ngwenya’s form has put him in contention for the Golden Boot, and Zwane believes the striker has the ability to challenge for the award. However, the AmaZulu coach said the club’s priority was to ensure Ngwenya did not feel obliged to score in every match.

“He’s got the quality [to fight for the Golden Boot]. The only thing we are trying to do now is to protect him. We don’t want to put him under pressure; hence, I am saying other players also need to come to the party and score goals,” Zwane said.

He added that collecting points was currently more important than producing consistently high-quality performances, with AmaZulu planning to improve their displays as the season progresses.

“We will work on our performance as we go along. What is key now is to get results. If we can come here [at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium] and get maximum points, I must give credit to the players because it’s never easy to get results here.”

Sekhukhune end winless run

Sekhukhune United ended a five-match winless streak with a 3-2 victory over Richards Bay at Princess Magogo Stadium.

Nqaba Xulu scored twice for Richards Bay, while Tshepo Mokoena, Ndongani Gilbani and Ngoanamelo Rammala found the net for Babina Noko.

Sekhukhune caretaker coach Papi Zothwane said securing three points before the Fifa break had been a key objective. The result also came against his former club, Richards Bay, after he previously worked there before joining Sekhukhune.

“We wanted to make sure that before the Fifa break, we get maximum points,” Zothwane said.

He acknowledged that beating his former side carried an emotional element, but stressed that his focus was now firmly on his responsibilities at Sekhukhune.

“It’s about the team. Obviously emotions will be there because I come from Richards Bay [before joining Sekhukhune], but I am at work here; I work for Sekhukhune.”