AmaZulu head coach Arthur Zwane cut a frustrated figure at Princess Magogo Stadium on Monday night, watching his side twice surrender the lead to Sekhukhune United in an entertaining 2-2 draw that carried heavy implications for the Betway Premiership top-three race.
For Zwane, the narrative of the “six-pointer” was defined less by a tactical chess match and more by his team’s glaring lack of a clinical edge when it mattered most.
“We should’ve scored three goals in a space of 20 minutes before they could hit the upright,” Zwane lamented after the final whistle. “We did not take those chances, but at least we managed to get just one. It was great movement by the players in the build-up, but the game could have been out of reach early on.”
The home side’s early dominance was spearheaded by the creative duo of Hendrick Ekstein and Athini Maqokola, both of whom missed clear-cut opportunities within the opening exchanges. The pressure eventually told in the 23rd minute when Maqokola turned provider, whipping in a pinpoint cross for Thapelo Matlhoko, who steered a clinical header past Renaldo Leaner. However, the failure to build on that momentum allowed Sekhukhune to find their way back. Just three minutes before the interval, the visitors silenced the Durban crowd when Olerato Mandi slotted home from close range following a slick interchange with Keletso Makgalwa.
With Zwane’s voice still ringing in the players’ ears, the hosts briefly restored their advantage in the 51st minute when Nkosikhona Radebe pounced on a rebound to score, but Sekhukhune responded with tactical adjustments that allowed centre-back Bright Ndlovu more freedom to roam forward. That move proved to be a masterstroke, as Ndlovu grabbed the equalising goal in the 77th minute.
Reflecting on the final outcome, Zwane concluded. “When you play a direct rival in a six-pointer, you have to be ruthless,” Zwane noted. “We are creating the patterns and the chances are there, but at this level, if you don’t punish teams, they will always find a way back. It’s two points dropped because of our own undoing in the final third
