Keletso Makgalwa of Sekhukhune United (right) is challenged by Hendrick Ekstein of AmaZulu during their Premiership match on Wednesday night. Photo: BackpagePix
AMAZULU FC’s goalkeeping woes will again dominate the headlines after shot-stopper Richard Ofori conceded four goals in their 4-2 defeat to Sekhukhune United on Wednesday night.
This was a Premiership encounter that could easily have gone either way at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The match was looking likely to end at 2-2, but then in the 81st and 86th minutes, Sekhukhune captain Linda Mntambo scored two quick goals, much to the disappointment of Usuthu fans, who wasted no time voicing the goalkeeping concerns on X.
why keep on playing Ofori? U dont have a keeper there. Or u want to be relegated before u play with a serious keeper?
— Thabo Mphela (@tgmlive_) February 19, 2025
Ofori had been on a good run and was close to owning the sticks for AmaZulu after he took the jersey from Veli Mothwa, who last played some weeks ago when he conceded five goals against Stellenbosch in Umlazi, also in the league.
The sides went into this match on almost similar levels in terms of performance data in that they were just two points apart, with seven wins each on the board.
AmaZulu, though, knew their task of having to try to be as stingy as possible with goals. So closely matched are these sides so far this season that they went into Wednesday’s meeting having scored 18 goals apiece.
However, it is Usuthu who were on the upside as much as recent form was concerned, having netted 11 goals in the past five games.
They made it count again on Wednesday night when they opened the scoring with Etiosa Ighodaro’s strike from a Riaan Hanamub assist just four minutes into the match.
Sekhukhune were not going to rest, though, as their efforts to find an equaliser saw them rattle the crossbar with a Keletso Makgalwa strike just six minutes after. It was clearly game on.
Tshepang Moremi delivered a tame shot in the 21st minute, failing to double Usuthu’s lead, and he would live to rue his poor effort as Andy Boyeli found Sekhukhune an equaliser in the 24th minute.
That was all that would headline the first half.
The second half, though, would be a totally miserable period for the visitors as the home side netted three more goals to settle matters at 4-2.
It was Makgalwa who first put his side upfront in the 53rd minute. Usuthu’s second-half substitute, Elmo Kambindu (in for Rowan Human), scored what would be the equaliser at the time (78th minute).
That was until Mntambo found his groove to net two quick goals in the 81st and 86th minute to help his side bag all three points.
AmaZulu host another Limpopo-side in Magesi FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night, while Sekhukhune go to Chippa United at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London earlier on the day.