Bongani Ndulula scored a brace as AmaZulu defeated Black Leopards 4-0 in their Absa Premiership clash at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Wednesday night.

Goodman Dlamini and Thokozani Mshengu netted the other goals as Usuthu dominated over a Lidoda Duvha side which played with one man less for just under an hour.

The hosts applied pressure from the first while and were rewarded in the 3rd minute when they were awarded a penalty as Moses Kwena was adjudged to have brought down Ndulula inside the box.

The former Orlando Pirates striker then dusted himself off to take the spotkick, firing his low shot past Posnett Omony to find the bottom left corner.

The lead was doubled two minutes later when Goodman Dlamini finished drilled his left-footed shot into the back of the net following a good run and cross from Luyanda Hlongwa on the right.

Usuthu could have added a third goal in the 8th minute, but Namibian defender Willem Mwedihanga headed over at the crossbar at the far post after connecting with a corner from Njabulo Manqana.

In the 20th minute Hlongwa came close to adding his name on the scoresheet after making a good run to collect a pass from Mshengu before spotting the goalkeeper of his line, but his chipped effort came off the crossbar.

A minute later Ndulula played a neat flick to release Rhamson Zhuwawo on the right side of the box, only for the midfielder to blast his effort over the crossbar with a good view of the target.

Things got worse for the visitors in the 32nd minute as they were reduced to ten men with Congolese international Djunga Munganga being shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Stanley Kgatla.

Usuthu then increased their lead on the stroke of halftime when Ndulula sidefooted home from the centre of the box after receiving a well-weighted low cross from Mshengu.

Craig Rosslee’s men made good use of their numerical advantage and came close to scoring a fourth goal seven minutes into the second half, but Goodman Dlamini was denied his brace by a good save from Omony.

The Ugandan goalkeeper continued to keep the scoreline respectable for his side as he made two brilliant saves in the 68th minute to deny Ayanda Dlamini, who had come on three minutes earlier for Ndulula.

Ayanda came close to finding the back of the net yet again in the 82st minute from a solo effort which saw him dribbling past two men before rounding the goalkeeper, but in the end his effort was cleared off the line by a defender.

However, the fourth goal did arrive a minute later as Mshengu fired home from the edge of the penalty area to cap a solid performance with a goal.

Substitute Kagiso Senamela could have added a fifth in added time, but Omony dived to his left to save his well-struck left-footed shot.

AmaZulu remain in 12th place with 32 points, while Black Leopards remain at the foot of the table with 23 points.

AmaZulu (3) 4 (Ndulula 4’ 45’, Dlamini G 6’, Mshengu 83’)

Black Leopards 0

Teams:

AmaZulu: Kapini, Hlongwa, Cele N (Zwane 66’), Teyise, Mwedihanga, Zhuwawo, Kgatla, Manqana, Mshengu, Dlamini G (Senamela 86’), Ndulula (Dlamini A 65’)

Black Leopards: Omony, Kwena, Kamhuka, Sithole, Munganga, Bobe, Monama, Ntshingila, Ramagalela, Nkambule (Sibiya 37’), Obaje (Zulu 87’)