AmaZulu FC assistant coach Simo Dladla admits the camp is breathing a sigh of relief after their 2-1 derby win against Richards Bay. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
AmaZulu FC assistant coach Simo Dladla admitted there was a sense of relief in the Usuthu camp after their side finally ended a frustrating winless run with victory in the KwaZulu-Natal derby.
AmaZulu edged Richards Bay FC 2–1 at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, claiming provincial bragging rights while halting a barren stretch of results that had begun to raise concern inside the camp.
The win arrived at an important moment for Usuthu, who had gone five matches across all competitions without tasting victory — a run that included league fixtures in the Betway Premiership as well as cup competition disappointment.
Usuthu remain in the hunt for a CAF Confederation spot after going level with third placed Sekhukhune United. For Dladla, the derby encounter carried added weight because of that context.
“It was a difficult game like we expected it to be, besides it being a derby, we also hadn’t won in five games, including the cup so it was very important that we bounce back, we needed this three points to get out confidence back and get back on track with our goals for the season.”
The result helped AmaZulu climb back up the table and reassert themselves in the race for a strong finish this season, but the performance also highlighted an issue that has been troubling the team in recent weeks — scoring goals.
Before Saturday’s match, Usuthu had managed just one goal in their previous four outings, a statistic that underlined their struggles in the attacking third despite creating opportunities. Even in the derby victory, Dladla felt the scoreline could have been far more comfortable had his players shown greater composure in front of goal.
“If you look at how the game, yes we conceded with a lapse of concentration but my main focus was our failure to convert chances and I count about four big chances that we didn’t score and that’s my main concern.”
The assistant coach suggested that while defensive lapses can occur, the more pressing issue for AmaZulu is ensuring they capitalize on the chances they create. For a team with ambitions of finishing strongly in the Betway Premiership, turning dominance into goals remains a critical step.
“A team that wins is a team that scores the most goals and every team has their own way of trying to score goals. Conceding goals is the least of our worries at the moment but we are not converting chances.”
Despite the continued concerns about finishing, the derby triumph provides a platform for AmaZulu to rebuild momentum as the campaign enters its decisive stages.
Ending the winless run not only restored belief in the dressing room but also reinforced the importance of grinding out results when form dips. For Dladla and the AmaZulu technical team, the challenge now is to ensure the derby win becomes a turning point rather than a brief moment of relief.
Improving efficiency in front of goal, he suggested, will ultimately determine whether Usuthu can convert promising performances into a consistent run of results.