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Usuthu, who had failed to win in four previous home games at the brand new stadium in Durban, claimed the victory thanks to a second half goal from striker Ayanda Dlamini. It is also their first victory over Ea Lla Koto in the top flight since the 2001/02 season.
Both sides were forced into making substitutions within the first 20 minutes of the game, as AmaZulu’s Brian Wallis and Stars’ Duncan Lechesa succumbed to injury. They were replaced by Sibusiso Hadebe and Sanele Mabaso respectively.
In between the substitutions AmaZulu had the first notable effort at goal, with defender Warren Bishop firing a free kick just off target in the 18th minute.
Two minutes later Aleni Lebyane tried a similar effort for the visitors but he too failed to trouble the goalkeeper.
At the midway point of the first half an AmaZulu corner kick found its way to striker Ayanda Dlamini but his close range effort was bravely blocked by Sipho Nkosi.
Nkosi then had a chance of his own at the other end of the field on 33 minutes, heading over the bar from Matome Madimabe’s corner kick.
Two minutes later Kingston Nkhatha saw a similar effort flash over the top and he was soon in the thick of things again, shooting wide from the edge of the box as Stars looked to pile the pressure on their hosts.
Yet the KwaZulu-Natal team should have taken the lead on 42 minutes, with Dlamini shooting over after a good ball from Simangaliso Biyela. The half time whistle saw the teams locked at 0-0.
Usuthu’s Myron Shongwe had the first sight of goal in the second half but his 50th minute effort went just wide of the target.
On 64 minutes Ea Lla Koto almost took the lead with a terrific shot from Madimabe that was mere inches away from finding the back of the net.
But just a minute later the hosts broke the deadlock, with Dlamini providing a great finish from Biyela’s cross on the right by-line, 1-0 to AmaZulu.
With just under 20 minutes to play Dlamini could have grabbed a second but his header from the centre of the penalty area was no threat to Stars’ goal.
AmaZulu (0) 1 (A. Dlamini 65’)
Free State Stars (0) 0
AmaZulu: (4-4-2) Mzimela; Kasonga, Ariweriyai, Chintu, Bishop; Ngxabi (Noble 58’), Biyela, Wallis (Hadebe 17’), Mokoro (N. Zwane 77’); A. Dlamini, Shongwe
Stars: (4-4-2) Mweene; Nkosi, Gcaba, Marinho, Taaibos; Nkhatha (Thomo 46’), Lechesa (Mabaso 19’), Masehe, Madimabe; Moholo (Motaung 60’), Lebyane
