Siwelele FC’s unbeaten run in the Betway Premiership came to an end on Saturday afternoon when they suffered a 2-0 loss at the hands of hosts AmaZulu FC at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Usuthu’s Athini Maqokolo was the hero of the match, scoring two-well taken goals to see his side rack up a third win from their last four league matches and rise to fifth place on the log with 21 points from 12 outings.
Siwelele, who relinquished a four-match unbeaten run, remained in 10th place with 13 points from 14 outings. Scoring goals is still a major headache for the team from Bloemfontein: they have hit the back of the net just seven times this league season, and this defeat was the ninth match in which they have failed to score across all competitions.
Siwelele dominated most of the first half, but struggled to create chances with which to test AmaZulu’s Darren Johnson. The host goalkeeper made only two saves through the course of the first 45 minutes, easily handling efforts on target from Siviwe Magidigidi and Christian Saile.
AmaZulu began to find their rhythm and confidence as halftime approached, and they claimed the lead in the 45th minute. A swift transition out of defence found Hendrick Ekstein who played a perfectly weighted pass into a vacant channel down Usuthu’s right, allowing Athini Maqokolo to beat the advancing Ricardo Goss to the ball on the edge of the box, impishly lob the ball over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net for 1-0.
The second half saw the teams cancel each other out until the 73rd minute, when Siwelele’s Grant Margeman and Thabo Makhele were both guilty of sloppy play in their own half, allowing Maqokolo to get in behind the defence and shoot beyond Goss for 2-0 – effectively sealing the points for the home club.
Another defensive error from the visitors handed AmaZulu a great chance just three minutes later, but Nkosikhona Radebe shot high and wide with only the goalkeeper to beat – and a teammate better placed in the goal mouth.
The missed opportunity was ultimately of no consequence, with the team in green able to see out the match and secure three valuable league points.
The teams will return to Premiership action next weekend, with AmaZulu facing Richards Bay away from home for a KZN derby on Friday, 28 November, while Siwelele will host Chippa United in Bloemfontein the following day.
AmaZulu FC (1) 2 (Maqokolo 45’ 73’)
Siwelele FC 0
AmaZulu: Johnson, Radebe, Fielies, Mthethwa, Hanamub, Hlangabeza, Bern (Ngwenya 82’), Maqokolo (Thabede 88’), Ekstein (Zikhali 82’), Ngcobo (Dube 72’), Kambindu (Mashigo 46’)
Siwelele: Goss, Mfolozi (Mobbie 90’), Sanoka, Makhele, Rapoo (Sekgodiso 81’), Mokhuoane (Nurkovic 81’), Margeman, Moralo (Lakay 46’), Potsane, Saile (Pule 46’), Magidigidi