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Benni’s Usuthu hope to carry Chippa form in Celtic clash
Benni McCarthy and his AmaZulu FC troops head into their first game of the year with a meeting against Free State-based outfit Bloemfontein Celtic in the DStv Premiership tie at Dr Molemela Stadium on Sunday.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – DECEMBER 14: Benni McCarthy named as a new coach Amazulu FC during the Amazulu FC new chapter unveiled announcement at Zungu on Main on December 14, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
The Bafana Bafana legend will be sitting on the bench for the second time since his appointment as AmaZulu coach last year in December.
In his first assignment, McCarthy was able to get maximum points after beating Chippa United 3-1 before the Christmas break.
While many teams have already played their first match into the new year, Usuthu were meant to play Kaizer Chiefs on the first week of January, but the fixture was postponed due to Amakhosi’s Caf Champions League schedule.
However, McCarthy says the time they spent without playing gave them time to work on their tactical aspects of the game, but they are unfortunate to have some of their players out of the match after they tested positive for Coronavirus.
“Obviously it’s not an ideal start because we expected to start against Kaizer Chiefs on the second of December, but under the circumstances Chiefs playing in the Caf Champions League, the game was postponed. It gave us a little bit more time to prepare for the game against Celtic to get all our eggs in one basket and just work on the tactical aspect.
“Unfortunately we’ve been hit with three of our players who tested positive (Coronavirus) so they have to self isolate and I think it disrupted (game plan and structure of the team). Makhehleni Makhaula was one of them, who played in the match against Chippa United. Sibusiso Mabiliso was the second one after having a fantastic game, so we losing one of our offensive left-back players. Then Shabba (Simphiwe Tshabalala), for the atmosphere and experience that he brings. And when you lose three players like this in your team you need to rotate your team.”
The Usuthu coach hopes his team will continue with the form from the Chippa game but knows that things will be very different against Celtic.
“We know it’s a different opponent, Celtic are a formidable side, they are very tricky and quick. In Bloemfontein it’s difficult, but the advantage that works in our favour is that they won’t have their 12th man with them because there is fantastic support in Bloemfontein.”
AmaZulu and Celtic are only separated by one point on the league standings, with the KwaZulu-Natal outfit on nine points in position nine, while Celtic occupy 10th spot with eight points.
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