AmaZulu realise Champions League dream
Tapelo Xoki's penalty is enough to secure glory for Usuthu.
Benni McCarthy has led AmaZulu into the Champions League. Picture: Steve Haag/BackpagePix.
Benni McCarthy has led AmaZulu into the promised land of the Caf Champions League, a 1-0 win at home to Moroka Swallows on Wednesday enough to shore up second place in the DStv Premiership.
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Even with all the money pumped into the club by new and improved owner Sandile Zungu, this is a remarkable effort from Usuthu, and McCarthy, Moeneeb Josephs and the rest of his coaching staff leapt in a circle of joy at the final whistle.
AmaZulu won 14 of their last 17 league games of the season to put themselves in this position, and if consecutive defeats to Orlando Pirates and Baroka FC ended any title hopes, they are now four points clear of Orlando Pirates in third, with just one game left to play.
Swallows were never going to be an easy opponent, especially on the back of those two losses, Brandon Truter’s side losing just one game all season heading into Wednesday’s match at Kings Park. A whopping 19 draws had got in the way of any title challenge from the Birds, and this would have been another, but for a penalty awarded to Usuthu a minute after half time.
A Swallows player was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box, and Tapelo Xoki made no mistake.
