AmaZulu host wounded Wits

AmaZulu will play host to a Bidvest Wits side desperate to claim their first Absa Premiership win of the season, at King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Kick-off is at 7:30pm.

The Clever Boys have yet to register a win after four rounds of fixtures, with two defeats on home soil backed up by two draws on their travels. The run of results give the defending champions the unwanted record of the worst start to a title defence in PSL history.

Gavin Hunt’s troops were criticised for lacking hunger by goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs, but the Braamfontein-based club showed grit and determination to fight to a 1-1 draw away to Kaizer Chiefs last time out. Amr Gamal’s late strike rescuing a point for Bidvest Wits, who played most of the game with 10-men.

The 2016-17 league champions will be hoping that Gamal’s strike will prove the turning point, with Usuthu next in line.

The KwaZulu-Natal side are licking their own wounds following a 4-1 defeat to rivals Golden Arrows over the past weekend. Having conceded seven goals in their last three matches, AmaZulu will need to tighten up their defence or be in real danger of suffering relegation back to the National First Division (NFD).

Predicted Starting 11:

AmaZulu: Pule, Sikhakhane, Nyongo, Ouro-Akoriko, Mtsweni, Karuru , Morton, Dlamini, Cele - Khenyeza, Manzini.

Bidvest Wits: Josephs, Frosler, Khumalo, Hlatshwayo, Hlanti - Claasen, Ntshangase, Motshwari - Pelembe, Pule, Gamal.

Head-to-Head

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2010/11 Wits 3-3 AmaZulu Sif. Vilakazi, Chapman 2; Hadebe, Sikhakhane, Khumalo

2010/11 AmaZulu 1-1 Wits Majoro (pen); Myeni

2011/12 Wits 3-1 AmaZulu Chapman, Sif. Vilakazi, Myeni; van Heerden

2011/12 AmaZulu 2-0 Wits Shipahu, A. Dlamini

2012/13 AmaZulu 1-1 Wits Nyadombo (pen); Jayiya

2012/13 Wits 3-1 AmaZulu Faty, Gumede, Chapman; Ndulula

2013/14 Wits 1-1 AmaZulu Kebede; Mthiyane

2013/14 AmaZulu 0-1 Wits Ngcobo

2014/15 Wits 2-0 AmaZulu Hlatshwayo, Pule

2014/15 AmaZulu 3-1 Wits Mabizela, G. Dlamini, Ntuli; Faty

LEAGUE RECORD (since 1985)

Home

P W D L GF GA

AmaZulu 26 8 12 6 30 24

Wits 27 14 8 5 47 31

Away

P W D L GF GA

AmaZulu 27 5 8 14 31 47

Wits 26 6 12 8 24 30

Total

P W D L GF GA

AmaZulu 53 13 20 20 61 71

Wits 53 20 20 13 71 61

What They Said:

AmaZulu head coach Cavin Johnson

“I’ve never seen a game where the ball hits the upright and then the crossbar, and then the other crossbar and still it comes out. It doesn’t work, but in saying that whether you lose 2-1, or 5-1 you still lose the game and we lost the points,” said Johnson.

“Arrows scored two more goals against the run of play and, that just takes the wind out of you, but what can you do?

“There’s no time to complain, there’s time for recovery. The next game is against Bidvest Wits at King Zwelithini, so we’ve got to put the loss behind us as quick as possible and make sure we carry on fighting.”

Bidvest Wits head coach Gavin Hunt:

“If you honest and you know football, we should have beat Chiefs. Even with 10 men we were well on top the whole game,” said Hunt

“I think they had one chance, which they scored and how many chances did we have first and the second half even with 10 men, we were good.

“Everything's been going against. I think we played four league games now and three cup games. I think there has been six or seven goalkeepers named Man of the Match against us.

“Maybe I don't know what I'm doing as the people say I don't know what I'm doing. We'll keep battling, I thought we were excellent against Chiefs and against all odds we were brilliant.”

Key Battles:

Bidvest Wits will be expected to finally hit their stride away to an AmaZulu side that look sure to face a relegation battle this season. Boalefa Pule will have to be at his best with the experience of Michael Morton and Sadat Ouro-Akoriko to be critical if they are to keep a desperate Clever Boys outfit at arms length.

Gamal is slowly proving himself in South Africa and the Egyptian forward will be aiming to continue his run of form - in partnership with Vincent Pule - who is making good use of an extended run in the starting 11.