AmaZulu’s Ngwenya aiming to extend scoring run in Richards Bay derby

Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya’s prolific start to the season will be central to AmaZulu’s hopes of recovering from their first Betway Premiership defeat when they face Richards Bay in the KZN derby on Friday.

The Zimbabwean striker has scored five goals in four league appearances, making him the outright leading scorer at this early stage of the campaign. His form has provided AmaZulu with a significant attacking threat as they prepare for the meeting at King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium.

Ngwenya scored twice in AmaZulu’s 5-2 defeat by Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld Stadium last Wednesday. He found the net in the opening minute of the second half before scoring again in the 70th minute.

The brace took his league total to five and capped a striking return to form for a player whose previous campaign was disrupted by injury. His resurgence has come at an important time for Arthur Zwane’s side, who now need a positive result to respond to their setback in Pretoria.

AmaZulu’s loss to Sundowns was their first league defeat of the season. Although they conceded five goals against the defending African champions, they showed character after a difficult first half and improved after the interval, with Ngwenya at the heart of their response.

That resilience will be tested again in a fixture that carries more than the usual significance. The derby offers both teams the chance to claim local bragging rights, while AmaZulu will also be seeking an immediate return to winning form.

Richards Bay have made a difficult start to the campaign and had three points from four matches, while AmaZulu entered the weekend in the upper half of the table. The sides have also built a competitive rivalry in recent seasons.

Richards Bay won the previous KZN derby 2-0 in November, giving AmaZulu an added reason to seek a different outcome on Friday. However, the focus will inevitably be on Ngwenya, whose five goals have made him the player most capable of changing the course of a match for Usuthu.

Zwane will hope the striker can maintain his scoring touch and help AmaZulu put the disappointment of Loftus Versfeld behind them. A victory would not only strengthen their position in the early league standings but also provide a valuable response in one of the season’s most significant local fixtures.

Ngwenya’s influence has already been evident in the opening weeks of the campaign. Having returned from an injury-hit season to become the league’s leading scorer, he now has the opportunity to turn his personal momentum into another important result for AmaZulu.

Image: Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya of AmaZulu is challenged by Sihle Nduli of Orlando Pirates during a Betway Premiership match. BackpagePix