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Johannesburg - A strike from former Buccaneer, Bongani Ndulula, was enough to give AmaZulu their first away win over Orlando Pirates in 20 years as they won 1-0 in their opening match of the 2013/14 PSL season at FNB Stadium on Thursday night.
The first chance of the match fell to new signing Kermit Erasmus, who pulled a shot that was goal bound from a distance forcing Aubrey Mathibe to make a save in only the third minute of the match.
With the home team pressing tirelessly, an unmarked Happy Jele should have headed home on the 13th minute after a teasing cross from William Thwala from the right flank, but he failed to convert.
Another disappointing finish followed around the half hour mark as he saw his effort going over the bar.
AmaZulu soon launched an attack and they punished Pirates at the other end.
With Bucs going forward in numbers, Usuthu got a chance to break them and Ndulula danced past two Pirates defenders with ease before a stunning finish.
Bucs could have levelled two minutes before half time as Erasmus saw his effort going slightly off the target after a Sifiso Myeni free kick.
After Pirates’ early dominance, AmaZulu slowly settled into the game but their neat passing was fruitless as they struggled to break down Pirates.
In the second half Erasmus kept trying with his close range efforts but they were not good enough to beat the AmaZulu goalkeeper.
With 25 minutes to play another chance went begging for Pirates when the ball fell kindly for Matlaba’s legs at the edge of the box, but he pulled his shot across the face of the goal.
Towards the end of the match Andile Jali had a chance inside the box, but failed to equalise with the goalkeeper to beat as he skewed the ball over the bar.
The last chance fell to Matlaba, but it wasn’t to be as he was denied by Mathibe, who put in a Man of the Match performance.
Scores:
Orlando Pirates - 0
AmaZulu - 1 (Ndulula 31’)
Teams:
Pirates: Meyiwa, Mahamutsa, Matlaba, Jele, Gcaba, Twala (Malongoane 72’), Manyisa, Jali, Myeni (Mabena 86’), Mbesuma (Bacela 68’), Erasmus
AmaZulu: Mathibe, Mwedihanga, Teyise, Mvalo, Van Heerden, Madondo, Madubanya, Manqana, Zondi (A Dlamini 58’), G Dlamini (Mthiyane 70’), Ndulula (Ngcobo 80‘)
The first chance of the match fell to new signing Kermit Erasmus, who pulled a shot that was goal bound from a distance forcing Aubrey Mathibe to make a save in only the third minute of the match.
With the home team pressing tirelessly, an unmarked Happy Jele should have headed home on the 13th minute after a teasing cross from William Thwala from the right flank, but he failed to convert.
Another disappointing finish followed around the half hour mark as he saw his effort going over the bar.
AmaZulu soon launched an attack and they punished Pirates at the other end.
With Bucs going forward in numbers, Usuthu got a chance to break them and Ndulula danced past two Pirates defenders with ease before a stunning finish.
Bucs could have levelled two minutes before half time as Erasmus saw his effort going slightly off the target after a Sifiso Myeni free kick.
After Pirates’ early dominance, AmaZulu slowly settled into the game but their neat passing was fruitless as they struggled to break down Pirates.
In the second half Erasmus kept trying with his close range efforts but they were not good enough to beat the AmaZulu goalkeeper.
With 25 minutes to play another chance went begging for Pirates when the ball fell kindly for Matlaba’s legs at the edge of the box, but he pulled his shot across the face of the goal.
Towards the end of the match Andile Jali had a chance inside the box, but failed to equalise with the goalkeeper to beat as he skewed the ball over the bar.
The last chance fell to Matlaba, but it wasn’t to be as he was denied by Mathibe, who put in a Man of the Match performance.
Scores:
Orlando Pirates - 0
AmaZulu - 1 (Ndulula 31’)
Teams:
Pirates: Meyiwa, Mahamutsa, Matlaba, Jele, Gcaba, Twala (Malongoane 72’), Manyisa, Jali, Myeni (Mabena 86’), Mbesuma (Bacela 68’), Erasmus
AmaZulu: Mathibe, Mwedihanga, Teyise, Mvalo, Van Heerden, Madondo, Madubanya, Manqana, Zondi (A Dlamini 58’), G Dlamini (Mthiyane 70’), Ndulula (Ngcobo 80‘)
