DURBAN – The battle to reach the First Division playoffs will be long and arduous for AmaZulu after the Durban side slipped to a 2-1 loss against Mthatha Bucks in KwaMashu on Wednesday.
A penalty in each half appeared to settle the clash until Bucks fired a late winner when hesitancy by goalkeeper Sage Stephens gifted Zambian striker Chileshe Kangwa a tap-in goal.
Earlier the visitors led through a 44th-minute penalty from Mazwi Mncube after Stephens was adjudged to have fouled striker Sinawo Masana. Usuthu hit back with their own penalty through striker Siyabonga Nomvete after midfielder Samuel Darpoh’s run into the box was halted with an ankle tap late in the second period.
The result brought AmaZulu their seventh defeat and saw them overtaken by the Eastern Cape outfit, who earned their fifth victory of the season. It led to coach Joey Antipas conceding defeat in the race for the championship.
The Zimbabwean tactician’s only hope is to recover over the remaining 13 matches to get back into the playoff places. The champion is automatically promoted to the top division and the second and third-placed sides compete in a three-team playoff with the second-bottom finishers from the Premiership for the other berth.
AmaZulu next visit unbeaten log leaders Thanda Royal Zulu for a provincial derby this weekend. Antipas will be without midfielder Sibusiso Magaqa, who suffered an injury on Wednesday. First-choice goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro is also injured, however, he will face a fitness test later this week to determine his availability.
On Wednesday, Antipas started with new Zimbabwean defensive signing Stephen Makatuka, and later gave another ex-Warriors international winger Ovidy Karuru his debut as a second-half substitute.
Thanda drew 1-1 at Witbank Spurs in their match to extend their lead to 12 points. Pietermaritzburg side Royal Eagles lost 1-0 at Cape Town All Stars and the fourth KZN outfit, Real Kings, went down by the same score at Mbombela United.