Pretoria - AmaZulu were unable to register back-to-back wins in the Absa Premiership when they suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the University of Pretoria at the Tuks Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Khethukuthula Zwane fired the hosts ahead in the first half before Grant Kekana doubled the lead early in the second half.
Ayanda Dlamini missed an early chance for the visitors, heading wide of the near post in the third minute, while Charly Moussono-Moussono sent his header at Aubrey Mathibe in the eight minute.
Zwane and Geoffrey Massa both had opportunities in the 12th minute, but the former shot wide of the target, while the latter directed his header wide of the far post.
Ayanda Dlamini had an opportunity to fire the visitors ahead two minutes later when he was put through on the right, but he was denied a block from Washington Arubi.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Zwane’s freekick skimmed off the top of Marc Van Heerden’s head and flew past Mathibe and into the roof of the net.
Mathibe was able to dive to his left to stop a shot from Massa in the 30th minute, while Tamsanqa Teyise was inches away from connecting with a freekick from Van Heerden at the other end.
The AmaZulu goalkeeper prevented the home side from extending their lead before the break, diving to his right to palm away a shot from Mosadi in the 39th minute, before stopping a shot from the same player on the stroke of half time.
AmaTuks doubled their lead in the first minute of the second half as Kekana dribbled past Carlington Nyadombo and also went around Mathibe before passing the ball into the net.
Steve Barker’s side continued to ask the questions with but Zwane fired over the crossbar in the 47th minute, while Mosadi was denied by Mathibe a minute later.
Substitute Dipsy Selolwane had chances to increase the lead but he was denied by a combination of Mathibe and the upright in the 73rd minute, before shooting over the crossbar seven minutes later.
Craig Rosslee’s side were unable to score a consolation goal at the death as Lunga Zondi fired wide of the post in the 88th minute while Goodman Dlamini was unable to get his shot away in the 90th minute.
AmaZulu remain in fifth place with 17 points from 13 matches while AmaTuks have moved up to 13th place with 11 points from 11 matches.
University of Pretoria (1) 2 (Zwane 25’, Kekana 46’
AmaZulu 0
Teams:
University of Pretoria: Arubi, Kekana, Monyai, Shoyisa, Moussono-Moussono, Ketjijere, Mkhwanazi, Mosadi (Tarumbwa 88’), Zwane (Oluwafemi 73’), Massa, Nyondo (Selolwane 56’)
AmaZulu: Mathibe, Macala, Teyise, Nyadombo, Van Heerden (Hlanti 66’), Madondo, Dlamini G, Manqana (Zondi 69’), Mthiyane, Jakob (Ndulula 46’), Dlamini A
Khethukuthula Zwane fired the hosts ahead in the first half before Grant Kekana doubled the lead early in the second half.
Ayanda Dlamini missed an early chance for the visitors, heading wide of the near post in the third minute, while Charly Moussono-Moussono sent his header at Aubrey Mathibe in the eight minute.
Zwane and Geoffrey Massa both had opportunities in the 12th minute, but the former shot wide of the target, while the latter directed his header wide of the far post.
Ayanda Dlamini had an opportunity to fire the visitors ahead two minutes later when he was put through on the right, but he was denied a block from Washington Arubi.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Zwane’s freekick skimmed off the top of Marc Van Heerden’s head and flew past Mathibe and into the roof of the net.
Mathibe was able to dive to his left to stop a shot from Massa in the 30th minute, while Tamsanqa Teyise was inches away from connecting with a freekick from Van Heerden at the other end.
The AmaZulu goalkeeper prevented the home side from extending their lead before the break, diving to his right to palm away a shot from Mosadi in the 39th minute, before stopping a shot from the same player on the stroke of half time.
AmaTuks doubled their lead in the first minute of the second half as Kekana dribbled past Carlington Nyadombo and also went around Mathibe before passing the ball into the net.
Steve Barker’s side continued to ask the questions with but Zwane fired over the crossbar in the 47th minute, while Mosadi was denied by Mathibe a minute later.
Substitute Dipsy Selolwane had chances to increase the lead but he was denied by a combination of Mathibe and the upright in the 73rd minute, before shooting over the crossbar seven minutes later.
Craig Rosslee’s side were unable to score a consolation goal at the death as Lunga Zondi fired wide of the post in the 88th minute while Goodman Dlamini was unable to get his shot away in the 90th minute.
AmaZulu remain in fifth place with 17 points from 13 matches while AmaTuks have moved up to 13th place with 11 points from 11 matches.
University of Pretoria (1) 2 (Zwane 25’, Kekana 46’
AmaZulu 0
Teams:
University of Pretoria: Arubi, Kekana, Monyai, Shoyisa, Moussono-Moussono, Ketjijere, Mkhwanazi, Mosadi (Tarumbwa 88’), Zwane (Oluwafemi 73’), Massa, Nyondo (Selolwane 56’)
AmaZulu: Mathibe, Macala, Teyise, Nyadombo, Van Heerden (Hlanti 66’), Madondo, Dlamini G, Manqana (Zondi 69’), Mthiyane, Jakob (Ndulula 46’), Dlamini A