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Usuthu secure top eight at Moses Mabhida

football24 May 2025 15:20| © Backpage TXT
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AmaZulu secured their spot in the top eight of the Betway Premiership as they finished their 2024/25 campaign with a 1-1 draw against Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

Usuthu finished their season in sixth place on the log, qualifying for next season’s MTN 8 tournament.

However, they did not manage to snap their streak of 16 years without a home win against Orlando Pirates.

Having already secured second place, Pirates will have to wait another week to try to set a new club record for league wins in a season.

AmaZulu had the first chance of the game in the ninth minute, as Tshepang Moremi picked up a long ball but had his effort blocked by Mbekezeli Mbokazi.

Mbokazi was injured in the process and was replaced by Tapelo Xoki in the 21st minute

In the 11th minute, Moremi made a great run down the left side, showing his skill and pace to get past Selepe, but he could not find a teammate in the box and had his cross scooped up by Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine.

Former Pirates players Thembela Sikhakhane fired off a dangerous cross looking for Tebogo Mashigo, but Bucs captain Nkosinathi Sibisi got to it first, sending the ball behind for a corner.

AmaZulu nearly snatched the lead in the 14th minute, as Etiosa Ighadaro beat two defenders to Usuthu’s corner, but his headed effort rattled the crossbar from close range.

Pirates had a chance of their own in the 24th min, as Deano Van Rooyen found Patrick Manswangyi in the box, whose shot narrowly ran across the face of goal.

AmaZulu goalkeeper Richard Ofori was called into action in the 26th minute as his outstretched leg denied Deon Hotto.

Substitute goalkeeper Augustine Mulenga nearly cost AmaZulu on his debut, as he was dispossessed by Tshegofatso Mabasa in the 65th minute, but Mabasa’s re-entry into the box was denied by Mthethwa.

AmaZulu found the opening goal in the 66th minute, as Moremi got past Van Rooyen and Sibisi in the box to play the ball across the goal and into the retreating Patrick Maswanganyi for an own goal.

Simphiwe Selepe bagged his first goal for the Bucs in the 77th minute to level the score, as he pounced on Sandile Mthethwa’s clearance attempt, striking the ball first-time into the bottom left corner.

In the 85th minute, Moremi had another chance to get his name on the score sheet but was scrappily denied by Chaine.

Moremi was involved again in the 94th minute, as he played a dangerous ball into Ethan Brooks in the Pirates box, but the ball was intercepted by Chaine.

Orlando Pirates will face Magesi at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday in the final fixture of the 2024/25 Betway Premiership season.

AmaZulu (0) 1 (P. Maswanganyi 68’ (OG))

Orlando Pirates (0) 1 (S. Selepe 77’)

AmaZulu FC: R. Ofori (A. Mbanjwa 50’) , Sikhakhane, S. Ngobeni, R. Mphahlele, S. Mthethwa, T. Fielies, B. Motshwari, B. Zungu (E. Brooks 83’), E. Ighodaro, T. Mashigo (A. Mulenga 46’) (H. Ekstein 97’), T. Moremi

Orlando Pirates: S. Chaine, N. Sibisi, M. Mbokazi (T. Xoki 21’), D. Van Rooyen, D. Hotto, S. Selepe, T. Mbatha, P. Maswanganyi (K. Kimvuidi 68’), M. Nkota (T. Moleleki 82’), R. Mofokeng, T. Mabasa (B. Radiopane 68’)

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