AmaZulu claim fifth straight derby win as Zwane hails ‘soldiers’

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane praised his players’ resilience after Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya’s goal secured a fifth successive league victory over KwaZulu-Natal rivals Golden Arrows at Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday.

Ngwenya’s strike took his league total to nine, keeping him top of the division’s scoring charts so far.

Zwane said the narrow win reflected the character of an AmaZulu side prepared to endure difficult moments, even when their attacking play was limited.

“In short, I would say we have soldiers; we have players that can take the pain,” Zwane said.

The match offered few clear openings, with AmaZulu unable to create the number of chances they would normally expect.

“This game [against Arrows] was so tight in such a way that we could not find many spaces. Normally we create three or four chances in a game, but today [Saturday] we struggled a bit to create,” he added.

The coach said securing all three points was particularly important because the fixture was being played at home. He also stressed that producing attractive football was less important than maintaining a winning run as the team continues to develop.

“What was key for us was that we’re playing at home; we needed to get maximum points, so credit to the players’ hard-fought win and the continuity we left off in terms of grinding results at home,” Zwane said.

“Sometimes we play a scrappy game, but as long as we keep on winning, it’s OK because we are a team that’s growing.”

The result leaves AmaZulu four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, prompting growing suggestions that they could mount a serious challenge for the title.

Zwane, however, wants his squad to avoid being affected by outside expectations and concentrate on their performances rather than public discussion about their run of form.

“We will find ways to make sure that our players don’t get distracted by the outside noise to remain focused on the job at hand,” he said.

AmaZulu’s next fixture will be an away Carling Knockout quarter-final against Stellenbosch next weekend, although the date has yet to be confirmed.

Other results:

Kruger 3-1 Bay

Stellenbosch 0-2 Chippa

Polokwane 0-0 Galaxy

Milford 1-0 Sekhukhune

Sundowns 4-1 Durban

Pirates 2-1 Chiefs

Sowetan