AmaZulu, Durban City chase wins as Richards Bay and Orlando Pirates await

AmaZulu could climb to third in the Betway Premiership standings if they beat Richards Bay in the KZN derby on Friday night (7.30pm kick-off).

AmaZulu are currently fifth on the log with 22 points, three behind second-placed Orlando Pirates, who are level on 25 points with champions and log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

With the third- and fourth-placed teams not competing in domestic football for various reasons, Usuthu have a chance to leapfrog them to third if all goes well against the Natal Rich Boys at Richards Bay Stadium.

It should. Usuthu head into the clash as favourites. They’ve been on an impressive run this season, winning six games, drawing three, and losing three.

That form shows that coach Arthur Zwane has managed to find the right balance between youngsters and seniors, after the club cleared out deadwood during pre-season to make way for young talent from the youth structures.

A top-three finish this season would certainly please president Sandile Zungu, who claimed during his takeover that he wants the club to be a top-four team - only for Benni McCarthy to achieve that target when he remarkably finished as runners-up a few seasons ago.

Usuthu might be wary of complacency, though. They need to take each game seriously, starting against the Natal Rich Boys, as they don’t want to be caught off guard.

Another team eager to end the year on a high is Durban City. City started the season impressively under veteran coach Gavin Hunt, but like any other side returning to the top flight under a new name and stadium, they’ve had their fair share of ups and downs.

Given that they are winless in their last three league matches, they’ll want to get back to winning ways when they host Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon (3.30pm kick-off).

The last time they hosted Soweto-based Kaizer Chiefs at the World Cup venue a few weeks ago, they lost. That’s why they’d face a tough challenge away, looking to avenge that defeat by beating another Soweto giant, which has been in fine form in domestic football this season.