ISHMAEL MOHLABE
Bongani Zungu and Mame Niang helped AmaTuks to beat AmaZulu 3-1 in the Premier Soccer League on Saturday 6 April. Zungu scored twice while Niang scored a header to claim his seventh goal of the season after AmaZulu had taken an early lead through Goodman Dlamini.
The game was characterised by a couple of missed chances as both teams were aggressive and attacked when they were in possession of the ball, especially in front of the goal, and both goalkeepers made magnificent saves on several occasions.
At the five-minute mark, AmaZulu had a goal ruled out due to a foul on AmaTuks’ goalkeeper Washington Arubi. Seven minutes later, Arubi made a mistake which allowed Dlamini to score. His low clearance kick from within the 18-yard box found Dlamini, who reacted quickly to strike the ball straight into an unguarded net to put his team in front.
In the 16th minute, AmaTuks put an end to their opposition’s lead when Niang’s header across the goal made contact with Zungu, whose diving header sent AmaZulu goalkeeper Tapiwe Kapini the wrong way, thus levelling the score.
Niang forced Kapini into making a save after intercepting a back pass to shoot from the edge in the 34th minute. Seven minutes before the interval, a square pass from Aubrey Ngoma connected with Niang’s right boot and forced Kapini to make another save.
In the first minute of the second half, Arubi produced an excellent save to stop a header from Thokozani Mshengu after a clearance from Siyabonga Shoyisa hit the upright.
Steve Barker made his first substitution after 55 minutes by introducing Diphetogo “Dipsy” Selolwane in place of Lionel Mutizwa. The combination of Niang and Selolwane brought some pace into the game.
In the 63rd minute, Niang scored a header after a free kick to put AmaTuks 2-1 ahead. AmaZulu almost equalised after Dlamini got past the defenders but his shot from the 18-yard box sailed over the crossbar in the 64th minute.
Zungu, who produced a Man-of-the-Match performance, stole the show as he completed his brace by heading home a cross from Charly Mousonno on the 77-minute mark. In the 83rd minute, Stanley Kgatla failed to score a second goal for AmaZulu.
The 3-1 result pushed AmaTuks to the ninth position on the PSL log with 31 points, while AmaZulu stayed at number 13 with 25 points.
Photo: Gallo Images
