MPUMALANGA Black Aces coach Clive Barker expects AmaZulu to come to Mbombela Stadium for their Absa Premiership fixture at 7.30pm tonight and "park the bus".
Usuthu's fairy-tale run came to a grinding halt when they lost 1-0 against Bidvest Wits at Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday - ending their four-match unbeaten run.
Usuthu, however, are still fifth on the Premiership log and Barker says they got there by playing tough and defending deep.
Barker was, however, full of praise for the way their coach, Craig Rosslee, has managed to turn the perennial relegation strugglers into a top-eight outfit. "If there is any team that has used the 'Park the Bus' attitude successfully this season, it is AmaZulu," Barker said.
"They don't play the most attractive football, they sit back. They look to score early away from home and they've defended their leads well. You have to give him (Rosslee) credit for improving on the limitations of his team and he's gotten wonderful results."
Usuthu sucker-punched SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town with late goals recently, but Rosslee has maintained that his side dominated their opponents in those clashes.
Barker's men beat Maritzburg United 2-1 last time out but had to hold on for dear life in the second half when Steve Komphela threw all his quick men forward.
Last week they were beaten 2-0 by Matsatsantsa in their first game of 2014. "The SuperSport fixture was good because we had more of the ball than they did, crossed more and had more shots at goal than they did.
"But we struggled towards the end, which I expected because we were short of game time."
Meanwhile, Aces striker Mabhuti Khenyeza may have to wait another week to know his fate as he awaits the outcome of his arbitration case between the PSL and Safa.
Khenyeza is expected to be in the starting line-up against AmaZulu tonight.
But the hosts will be without Mbulelo Mabizela, who has a bruised rib, while Usuthu welcome captain Tapuwa Kapini back into the mix after he recovered from concussion. - Additional reporting by Nick Said
Barker knows AmaZulu strategy
MPUMALANGA Black Aces coach Clive Barker expects AmaZulu to come to Mbombela Stadium for their Absa Premiership fixture at 7.30pm tonight and "park the bus".
Usuthu's fairy-tale run came to a grinding halt when they lost 1-0 against Bidvest Wits at Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday - ending their four-match unbeaten run.
Usuthu, however, are still fifth on the Premiership log and Barker says they got there by playing tough and defending deep.
Barker was, however, full of praise for the way their coach, Craig Rosslee, has managed to turn the perennial relegation strugglers into a top-eight outfit. "If there is any team that has used the 'Park the Bus' attitude successfully this season, it is AmaZulu," Barker said.
"They don't play the most attractive football, they sit back. They look to score early away from home and they've defended their leads well. You have to give him (Rosslee) credit for improving on the limitations of his team and he's gotten wonderful results."
Usuthu sucker-punched SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town with late goals recently, but Rosslee has maintained that his side dominated their opponents in those clashes.
Barker's men beat Maritzburg United 2-1 last time out but had to hold on for dear life in the second half when Steve Komphela threw all his quick men forward.
Last week they were beaten 2-0 by Matsatsantsa in their first game of 2014. "The SuperSport fixture was good because we had more of the ball than they did, crossed more and had more shots at goal than they did.
"But we struggled towards the end, which I expected because we were short of game time."
Meanwhile, Aces striker Mabhuti Khenyeza may have to wait another week to know his fate as he awaits the outcome of his arbitration case between the PSL and Safa.
Khenyeza is expected to be in the starting line-up against AmaZulu tonight.
But the hosts will be without Mbulelo Mabizela, who has a bruised rib, while Usuthu welcome captain Tapuwa Kapini back into the mix after he recovered from concussion. - Additional reporting by Nick Said
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