DURBAN – AmaZulu have endured torrid times in 2019 but they are not worried about their peculiar start to the new year.
On Friday they were dumped out of the Nedbank Cup by Highlands Park via penalties. The game ended 1-1 after 120 minutes and the Lions of North emerged 3-1 victors on penalties to advance to the next stage of the competition.
Tomorrow AmaZulu travel to Pretoria to face Mamelodi Sundowns in a PSL tussle on Tuesday.
Coach at Usuthu, Cavin Johnson is confident that they will turn the corner sooner than later following their slow start to the year.
“There are teams who have won one game in 18 this season. There are few clubs in the world that have won one game.
“So, I’m not worried. I’m a football man. Is my team playing football? Yes. I think they are good players. I believe we can come out of it (the slump).
We haven’t lost the world as yet and there are still 12 games left. They came out it, they have done it before and they have to do it again,” Johnson said.
Tendai Ndoro of Highlands Park tussles with Jabulani Ncobeni of AmaZulu at King Zwelithini Stadium. Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix
AmaZulu, curently third-last on the log, face a high flying Sundowns side that is yet to be beaten in the league this season, though they were knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by Chippa United.
“It is a big concern that we didn’t finish the game in 90 minutes because we don’t have a big squad. We have to do an extra recovery. We also have to make sure that they eat the right things because you can only recover when you have the right food in your body,” Johnson added.
“We all like to play football all the time and we all want to play competitive games. To go through in the cup allows your team to be active all the time. Now, it is a completely different set-up.
The coming months are difficult because others will be playing in the Cup and we won’t have momentum in our team. Maybe it is a blessing in disguise and we can put our focus in the league,” Johnson explained.