The players missed Usuthu’s clash against Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele and they have now handed the KwaZulu-Natal giants a timely boost
AmaZulu FC head coach Benni McCarthy has revealed that the team will be boosted by the availability of five former Orlando Pirates players this weekend.
Usuthu are scheduled to lock horns with Kaizer Chiefs in a PSL encounter which is scheduled to be played at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations venue, Jonsson Kings Park Stadium on Saturday.
Augustine Mulenga, Thabo Qalinge, Xola Mlambo, Thembela Sikhakhane, and Tercious Malepe, who were once on the books of Pirates, are expected to face Amakhosi.
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McCarthy also disclosed that they are set to welcome back former Chiefs full-backs Philani Zulu and Kgotso Moleko, who joined the club last month after being released by the Soweto giants.
“And in this week we can bring back the likes of Mulenga, Thabo Qalinge, Xola Mlambo, Sikhakhane, Philani Zulu, and Tercious Malepe comes back from suspension,” McCarthy told the club’s media department.
“We also get Kgotso Moleko back, so we get about eight players that last season were undisputed, starting 11 players.”
McCarthy was able to mastermind a 1-0 victory over Baroka FC at home in a PSL encounter without the seven players over the weekend.
The 43-year-old tactician is pleased to have seen AmaZulu show character and fighting spirit against Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele despite the absence of some of his key players.
“We can also fight hard, and we can grind, and we can compete with teams,” McCarthy, who was named PSL Coach of the Season after leading Usuthu to second spot in the league last season, said.
“So it showed us a different character to the AmaZulu that people became to know under my guidance and leadership.”
The victory over Baroka was Usuthu’s first league win of the current campaign and McCarthy pointed that his side showed that they still have the same desire as last season.
“They still have the same desire, the same drive to want to achieve this season, it’s just been a little of a different ride,” the former Cape Town City head coach added.
“So now we find ourselves at the top end of the league again, and I think that’s where we want to be.”