AmaZulu wary of unpredictable Orbit College threat in Premiership opener

AmaZulu will open their Betway Premiership campaign with a potentially tricky home assignment against new boys Orbit College FC at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 3pm.

Arthur Zwane is under no illusions about the challenge his side faces, despite their opponents being debutants at this level.The Usuthu mentor believes the element of the unknown makes Orbit a dangerous first hurdle.

“This is a difficult match because people haven’t seen Orbit and they have seen us,” Zwane explained.

“This gives people hope that already AmaZulu [should get the better of] Orbit. But we’re treating this game as we would any other, just like we did with Stellenbosch.

“We will give all the games the same respect. Yes, the approach might be slightly different because we don’t play the same; their qualities and ours aren’t the same. In terms of how we want to exert ourselves and the mentality, it must be the same.”

Usuthu head into the clash looking to respond after last weekend’s MTN8 quarter-final exit, where they lost 3-2 in extra time to Stellenbosch in Cape Town.

The result was compounded by an early blow when first-choice goalkeeper Richard Ofori was forced off in the 31st minute after a knock to the head.

Olwethu Mzimela stepped in for the remainder of the contest, but Zwane could also consider handing a debut to off-season signing Darren Johnson, should Ofori not recover in time. The Ghanaian international is expected to return within the next two weeks, with the club’s medical staff taking a cautious approach to his recovery.

Orbit, meanwhile, will be eager to make a statement in their first-ever Betway Premiership fixture. Having sealed promotion in June through the PSL Promotion/Relegation Play-offs, the Mswenko Boys arrive in Durban on the back of an impressive 11-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.

That run includes seven matches in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, where they finished second before navigating the play-offs.

Coach Pogiso Makhoye has retained much of the squad that earned promotion and will be looking to his key attacking outlets to unsettle Usuthu.

Siyabulela Mabele, who struck 10 league goals last term, and former Orlando Pirates winger Monnapule Saleng – who also found the net in the play-offs against Casric Stars – are expected to carry much of the visitors’ threat.

For AmaZulu, starting the season with maximum points could set the tone for a campaign in which they hope to improve on last season’s sixth-place finish. But Orbit’s combination of momentum, confidence, and unpredictability means the hosts will have to be on their guard from the first whistle.