Coach hopes new striker Adebayor will solve scoring problems

Misfiring Usuthu’s bluntness puzzles Franco

Sihle Ndebele Journalist
AmaZulu FC coach Pablo Franco during the DStv Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu FC at FNB Stadium on Saturday
AmaZulu FC coach Pablo Franco during the DStv Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu FC at FNB Stadium on Saturday
Image: Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu

That AmaZulu are the only DStv Premiership side without a goal thus far this season sums up the story of their struggles.

Usuthu headed into their weekend's 3-0 defeat away to Kaizer Chiefs having never conceded. Despite dominating possession and creating chances, AmaZulu were given a rude awakening at FNB Stadium, where Pule Mmodi netted a brace and Edson Castillo also found the back of the net.

The side's coach Pablo Franco thinks his project at Usuthu will need time to finally click, anticipating they'll be dangerous in the second round of the season.

“I said it from the very beginning, this is not something I started to say today or the previous game... I've been saying this from the pre-season that this team is going to need time. We are building something that you can't expect to be built in one month or two months,'' Franco said.

“I think AmaZulu are going to be a good team in the second part of the season. Now it is difficult for us... we need to keep on growing and learning. Everybody can see that we are gradually improving.”

Franco is pinning his hopes to turn things around on the imminent arrival of Nigerien striker Victorien Adebayor, believing the man who helped Moroccan side RS Berkane win the CAF Super Cup last term, may be the solution to their bluntness upfront. Adebayor, 26, is believed to have been delayed by a coup in his native country Niger.

“We were finding it very hard to get Adebayor a visa but now it seems that everything is ready and he's coming next week,'' he said.

“As you see, it's four games now without scoring any goal... this is the first time in my career [that his team fails to score in four games in a row] even three games in a row without scoring [had never happened before coming to AmaZulu]. It's not that we are not capable of creating those chances but it's a matter of accuracy.”

Usuthu's next fixture is against TS Galaxy at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm). 


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