AmaZulu look to compound Cape Town City's woes

AmaZulu FC will be play host to a struggling Cape Town City side in Sunday's Betway Premiership encounter at the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium.

Kick-off is at 3:30 pm CAT.

CURRENT FORM

Usuthu bounced back to winning ways in style when they thrashed Magesi FC 3-0 in a league match on 22 February as they snapped a two-match winless run having lost both matches before facing Dikwena Tsa Meetse.

AmaZulu find themselves placed sixth in the Betway Premiership standings - a point behind fifth-placed Stellenbosch FC and a win over City would see the KwaZulu-Natal giants cosolidate their spot in the top half.

Meanwhile, City's struggles continued when they extended their winless run to six matches following a 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates in a league game on 22 February and it was also their third defeat in a row.

The Citizens are occupying the 10th spot in the Betway Premiership standings - four points behind eighth-placed Kaizer Chiefs and a win over AmaZulu could reduce the gap between City and the top half teams.

TEAM NEWS

This will be AmaZulu's first match since the departure of coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi who recently resigned leaving Arthur Zwane as the club's sole head coach.

Cape Town City, on the other hand, have strengthened their squad with the signing of Thulani Serero, but the Citizens will be without the suspended Lebogang Manyama and Lorenzo Gordinho.

WHAT WAS SAID?

AmaZulu FC coach Arthur Zwane

“After this game [against Cape Town City], we are traveling to Pretoria [to play against SuperSport United], that game might be played in Polokwane, it will take a lot from us,” Zwane said.

🟢 NEXT MATCH • #BetwayPremiership 🏆

🆚 @CapeTownCityFC
📍 King Zwelithini Stadium
📅 Sunday, 02 March
🕑 15:30
📺 SS PSL (Channel 202)
🎫 https://t.co/Gw9stgJekz#Isagila #HebeUsuthu #UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/Kh2r8wXXl6
— AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) February 27, 2025

“From there, there is Mamelodi Sundowns [on 11 March]. You can see now we have to manage the players, the traveling in between. The demands at this level are going to be much higher than in the past because the games are coming thick and fast going into the international break.

“We also want to consolidate our position in the top eight for now because we have set ourselves goals."

Cape Town City coach Muhsin Ertugral

“When I came in, there was something wrong [with the team]; that's the first issue," Ertugral said.

😤 Phusha Baba 🔜 #UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/iWDEMjpsHb
— AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) February 27, 2025

"Second, in the 2024 calendar year, maybe you guys [journalists] have forgotten, the whole year, City won only seven games [they won only six of their 24 league fixtures of the year 2024 with nine defeats and nine draws] and when I came in, we won three games and drew one in January.

"So, I think we've already achieved 50 per cent of what the club did in the whole calendar year."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tshepang Moremi, AmaZulu FC: The speedy winger has caught the eye with his ability to both score and create goals lately having netted twice, and provided two assists in his last five matches.

Haashim Domingo, Cape Town City: The experienced attacking midfielder will be brimming with confidence after scoring his first goal of the season against Pirates and he also has three assists.

Head-to-Head

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2019/20 City 2-2 AmaZulu Ralani, Putsche; Ntuli (2)

2020/21 AmaZulu 1-1 City Majoro (pen); Agyemang

2020/21 City 1-5 AmaZulu Lakay; Mulenga, Xoki (pen), Majoro, Memela (pen), Sithebe

2021/22 AmaZulu 2-0 City Mulenga 2

2021/22 City 0-0 AmaZulu

2022/23 AmaZulu 2-1 City Kwem, Mhango; Mayo

2022/23 City 2-2 AmaZulu Mayo, Gonzalez; Ntuli, Kwem

2023/24 AmaZulu 3-2 City Gumede, Dion 2; Mayo, Nyama

2023/24 City 0-1 AmaZulu Dion