DURBAN – AmaZulu will unleash their new acquisitions in their first Absa Premiership game of the season on Saturday when they host Baroka FC at King Zwelithini Stadium at 8.15pm.
Usuthu went for experience and acquired Moeneeb Josephs, Marc Van Heerden, Emiliano Tade and Nhlanhla Vilakazi. Josephs, 38, is expected to start between the posts and midfielder Vilakazi is also likely to earn his debut tomorrow.
AmaZulu coach Cavin Johnson described Baroka as a closed book. They changed the coach, with Zambian Wedson Nyirenda now at the helm. He replaced Doctor Khumalo who was the interim coach late last season after the club fired Kgoloko Thobejane.
“From the Baroka point of view, we don’t know much about them. They have a new coach and I don’t know what he brings. He spent few years in South Africa playing for Kaizer Chiefs. He has been the Zambian national team coach. That’s what we know about him.
“How he plays and how he set up his team we don’t know. I don’t think he will change the style of Baroka FC completely unless he changes the whole team. From a statistical point of view and a person looking outside of Baroka, I don’t see him bringing in a lot of new players but I do see them bringing a different mentality. That we have to be aware of,” he added.
Amazulu boss Cavin Johnson says he doesn't know much about Baroka's new coach Wedson Nyirenda. Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix
Kaizer Chiefs target Talent Chiwapiwa is expected to cause havoc for Usuthu with his ability to take on defenders.
“We know that playing against Baroka has never been easy. We didn’t do well against them last season. It is going to be a challenging task for us come Saturday.
We know where we ended, and that was on a high note. We need to maintain that. We need to play well to get the three points,” a confident Johnson explained.