Benni McCarthy gives his verdict after AmaZulu’s latest victory

AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy has given his verdict following Usuthu’s latest DStv Premiership victory over Tshakhuma FC.

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The 2-0 home win saw AmaZulu move to fifth place in the latest standings, within touching distance of McCarthy’s stated aim of a top-4 finish when he was unveiled at the KwaZulu-Natal club last last year.

“First of all I want to congratulate the players, the coaching staff, everyone for the hard work that we put in,” McCarthy said.

“We worked tirelessly every day, and it is so nice to see when we come to matches, that the players have that fearlessness when they enter into games.

“We analyse the opposition always well but when we play at home we always make it about us. We take the initiative, we stared really early.

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“We try and put them under pressure, we try and make things uncomfortable for them, we press them high and we showed in the first goal that we scored. It came from a mistake that they did because of the pressure that we applied on them.

“I am super proud of the players, that when we do the analysis they take notice and they take it in and they applied to the game. We went 1-0 in.

“I still thought we had a lot of chances to put the game out of reach. In football if you don’t take your chances the opposition will always think they are in the game and that are still with a chance to get back.

“In the second half we didn’t have the fastest start. TTM came which they’re inclined to do. They tried to come in moments but we always controlled, we managed the game well and obviously we changed up.

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“We brought some fresh legs in Sphe Maduna, Majoro for Shaka (Sphelele Mthembu) and Sphe for Xola (Mlambo). We just needed a little bit of a different scenario in the game.

“We brought the changes and the goal came from there, a wonderful cross from Memela as he laid it for Maduna, and so 2-0 up and deservedly us being in front.

“The three points I’m happy with that. It brings us ever so more closely to number 5, number 4 position and we are in touch with the leading packs in the league,” concluded Benni McCarthy.

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AmaZulu have 34 points after 20 matches. They are only a single point behind third-placed SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates in fourth having played one fewer match than both of those sides.

AmaZulu will next be in action against bottom side Black Leopards away from home on Sunday, 4 April.

Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00.