AmaZulu have booked their spot in the CAF Champions League group stages for the first time following a 1-1 draw against TP Mazembe on Saturday afternoon.
Usuthu fielded a new look side for the all-important game, with only shot-stopper Veli Mothwa, Luvuyo Memela, Makhehlene Makhaula and Siyethemba Sithebe featuring, having won in the league during the week.
The visitors, who were in need of something to get them going after the first half goalless draw, were defensive in their approach to the game, frustrating TP Mazembe but the home side could not force Mothwa into making any save.
Having kept the home side at bay for so long, AmaZulu grew into the game but it was Soze Zemanga who was close to getting the game’s opening goal but his attempt was saved by Mothwa.
Against the run of play, it was Bonginkosi Ntuli who broke the deadlock for the visitors just before the break from a rebound inside the box, to hand advantage to the South African side.
The hosts kept piling up the pressure after the break and could have been down 2-0 before the hour mark when Usuthu broke in numbers on a counter-attack, but Memela’s strike from a rebound was crucially blocked by the Ravens defence.
With the Congolese giants’ improved urgency and the pressure from successive corners, Mothwa made a great acrobatic save in the last 22 minutes to keep out a dipping header.
Usuthu became totally defensive in the closing minutes, but were punished in stoppage time through Adam Bossu’s impressive strike.
However, Bossu’s effort was the final kick of the game as Benni McCarthy’s men reach the group stages of Africa’s premier club competition.