AmaZulu ease dependence on Ngwenya as Mbanjwa and Maqokolo seal derby win

Arthur Zwane welcomed a change in goalscorers as AmaZulu FC beat Durban City 2-1 in the Durban derby at Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday night.

Mlondi Mbanjwa and Athini Maqokolo scored quickfire first-half goals to secure the Betway Premiership victory, ending AmaZulu’s reliance on Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya for their recent goals.

However, Zwane was frustrated that his side failed to turn a series of clear chances into a more convincing winning margin.

The result leaves AmaZulu in the leading top-three group, with no immediate pressure on their head coach. They have won six of their eight league matches this season and sit on 19 points, two behind second-placed Orlando Pirates and five ahead of fourth-placed Kaizer Chiefs.

AmaZulu’s attacking output had previously come from a single source. In their seven matches before the first FIFA break of the season, all of their goals had been scored by Ngwenya.

The Zimbabwean striker remains the leading scorer in the Betway Premiership with eight league goals and, according to Zwane, had further opportunities to add to his total against Durban City.

“Let me start by congratulating the players for the victory, and playing well. Just like in other games before, in the first half we should have scored three or four goals. Not half-chances (I’m talking about) full chances. We did not take them,” Zwane said in his post-match news conference.

“In the second half again we came back and got more chances, and I had just been telling them in the dressing room that we need to be ruthless. We got chances to score in the second half, not half-chances (I’m talking about) full chances.”

Zwane highlighted opportunities missed by Pule Ekstein and Ngwenya as AmaZulu failed to put the match beyond their opponents.

“Pule Ekstein had one, one-v-one, poor decision-making, and passing the ball wide. The other one hit the post, Mlondi got the rebound, and laid it on for Ngwenya to finish. But he allowed the goalkeeper to save,” he added.

The coach also pointed to misplaced passes and poor decisions in possession as further reasons why AmaZulu did not win by a larger margin.

“It was too close, those were all the chances. There were a lot of turnovers. (At times we had an opportunity) to pass to the correct player and (had to) connect (with the ball) to take advantage of the goalscoring opportunity.

“I think our rhythm did break a bit because of the recent break. But as I always say, what’s important is to collect three points, and so we continue where we left off.”