It's too early to write AmaZulu off – Khumalo
Defender says their goal is to be better than last season
Arguably one of the best centre-backs of his generation in the elite division of SA football, AmaZulu’s Sandile Khumalo has no doubts AmaZulu will finish in the top two again this season.
Having finished as runners-up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the DStv Premiership last term, AmaZulu have endured a rather uninspiring league run this season. However, Khumalo has warned those who have written Usuthu off that they will eat humble pie at the end of the season. AmaZulu host TS Galaxy in a league fixture at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm).
“Before the start of the season we set ourselves goals and one of those goals was that we must do better than last season. We want to win the league or at least finish as runners-up and it’s possible,’’ Khumalo told Sowetan on Monday.
“It’s too early to write us off. We will prove a lot of people wrong. We know we are many points [21] behind Sundowns but it’s not over yet. We will fight to make sure we have a better season that the last one.’’
Khumalo also added that winning their maiden game of the year against Horoya of Guinea in the CAF Champions League on Friday boosted their morale. Luvuyo Memela scored the solitary goal that helped Usuthu win their second Group B tie.
“We had been struggling to win this year [after losing their first two games of the year against Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup and Raja Casablanca in the Champions League] but on Friday we managed to win. It was a massive win in terms of lifting our confidence as a team,’’ noted Khumalo, who admired Pirates skipper Happy Jele as a child growing up in Ulundi, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
According to Khumalo, playing with freedom has been the main contributor to his meteoric rise. “One of the things that helps me is that I play with freedom... that’s the reason I am here today. I am not scared to make mistakes because that’s part of the game,’’ said Khumalo, who joined the Usuthu Diski team from Empangeni-based fourth-tier side Milford in 2017, before being promoted two years later.
Fixtures
Tuesday: AmaZulu v Galaxy, Moses Mabhida, 7.30pm.
Friday: Maritzburg v Arrows, Harry Gwala, 7.30pm.
Saturday: Chippa v Gallants, Sisa Dukashe, 3.30pm; Sekhukhune v Swallows, Ellis Park, 5.30pm; Baroka v Chiefs, Peter Mokaba, 7.30pm.
Sunday: SuperSport v Royal, Lucas Moripe, 3.30pm.