Chiefs’ Zulu readies for Usuthu challenge
Chiefs’ Zulu readies for Usuthu challenge

Posted in News, Team News on Feb 16, 2021.

Kaizer Chiefs left-winger Philani Zulu is ready to take on AmaZulu when Chiefs return to league action on Wednesday afternoon at 15:00 at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

With Chiefs having already defeated AmaZulu this season in the league, Amakhosi are aiming for a league double over Usuthu and are hoping to climb up the table to eighth place, by collecting three points from their mid-week match up.

Zulu returned to the Chiefs line up on the 13th January after having missed the two previous games through suspension when they defeated Amazulu in a league game just over a month ago. He is now looking for Chiefs to resume normal service with their last game being a loss to Richards Bay on 7 February in the Nedbank Cup.

“Looking at how we played in the last game and how we were knocked out of the Nedbank Cup, it was sad,” Zulu remarks. “It now up to us to pick up our feet and look forward to the game against AmaZulu on Wednesday.”

While Chiefs have already defeated AmaZulu this season, Zulu is ready to face the full might of Usuthu. “It’s not going to be an easy game,” he admits. “They played on Sunday and now they have the momentum going forward. We have not played since the previous game in Nedbank Cup 10 days ago, it’s now all up to us as players to keep our feet on the ground and our heads up high and looking forward to the next game.”

He did keep an eye on AmaZulu on Sunday as they drew with Swallows FC 0-0 in Dobsonville and was impressed by what he saw of them. Zulu also believes that the result from the sides earlier league clash this season will have no bearing on the result of Wednesday afternoon’s game.

“It’s going to be a different ball game,” he adds. “They now have more confidence and they play well as a team when going forward. They can keep the ball and are a very structured team. They are even more offensive than before. It is up to us to bring our ‘A game’.  Just as much as they are higher on the standing, we have to do well. We are very much prepared for the game.”

For Zulu, the fact that Chiefs had their game in the CAF Champions League against Wydad Casablanca delayed, could be a kind of blessing for Amakhosi. “As much as it was not good the game did not happen, it gave us a bit of more time to reflect and prepare as a team,” says Zulu.

With half of Chiefs league games of the 2020-21 campaign having already been played, Zulu is aiming to help Chiefs win as many points as they can from their remaining fifteen DStv Premiership games of the campaign. “We are now into the final hurdle,” concludes Zulu. “We need to collect as many points as we possibly can because now it’s the second round and every team is gunning for the maximum number of points. every game is important.”

Chiefs’ game against AmaZulu will be live on SuperSport on DStv Channel 202 on Wednesday at 15:00,  as they look to end a three-game winless run-in league action.

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