Baroka edged AmaZulu 1-0 to put an end to Usuthu’s 16-game unbeaten run in the DStv Premiership on Tuesday afternoon.
Benni McCarthy kept faith with Augustine Mulenga and Lehlohonolo Majoro as his strikers as they went in search of a fourth successive win to pile more pressure on league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. However, it was not their day as they fell flat to a disappointing defeat.
Luvuyo Memela picked out Tapelo Xoki early on as Usuthu began the game brightly, but the latter sent his header wide of Oscarine Masuluke’ goal post. Not long after, Evidence Makgopa almost opened the scoring for the visitors at the other end but his effort went wide.
The hosts kept creating chance after chance as they intensified efforts to get the game’s opener. They created a few chances afterwards but the efforts of Mulenga and Majoro were close but not enough to get them the lead.
Against the run of play, it was the Limpopo outfit who got the game’s opening goal in the half’s final ten minutes. Richard Mbulu went past one challenge before curling an effort into the top corner for his sixth league goal of the campaign.
AmaZulu were almost levelled through Majoro just before the halftime break, but Masuluke made himself big to thwart the striker’s left-footed strike g from the edge of the box.
McCarthy made two changes before the start of the second half, with Thabo Qalinge and Samkelo Mgwazela, replacing Mbongeni Gumede and Xola Mlambo as they searched for a way back into the encounter.
It became one-way traffic afterwards but it was the visitors who almost got a second with Ananias Gebhardt failing to smash home from close range after some defensive mix-up.
McCarthy then sent Talent Chawapihwa and Siphelele Mthembu on for Majoro and Memela in the final 20 minutes as the game was going beyond their reach.
The changes made didn’t change the score-line as the Limpopo outfit held on to claim all three points, leaving Usuthu seven points behind Sundowns.
Despite the defeat, AmaZulu are not exactly in danger of losing their second-spot, being seven points clear of third-placed Golden Arrows as it stands. However, it is more disappointing that they lost their unbeaten run to Baroka. AmaZulu will now aim to distance themselves further and secure that spot when they take on fourth-place Orlando Pirates on the 27th of May.