Posted on May 21, 2012 12:49
AmaZulu U15s lost out of a chance to represent KZN in the Manchester Premier Nike Cup nationals when they were beaten 3-1 by Izichwe Youth FC on the weekend at Tills Crescent in Brickfield, Durban.
The Pietermaritzburg side gave Usuthu a good run for their money from the word go and were rewarded in the first half when they got a penalty which Mpumelelo Dladla easily converted.
Usuthu leftback Kwanele Mhlongo tried to put the home side’s hopes up and combined with skillful Thembinkosi Gwala in launching attack after attack. Gwala scored the equalizer right before half time but the visitors took the lead again through Ziyanda Ndlovu.
Troy Wiles made it 3-1 and put the game beyond coach Justice Mtshali’s boys when he calmly drove a right-footed shot past goal keeper Mfanafuthi Shandu who had kept his team in the game by making crucial saves throughout the match.
Mtshali did not despair over his side’s defeat and told AmaZulufc.net, “In the game of football you lose some and win some. They boys shouldn’t feel bad because they lost to a team that was better than us in many respects.
“They’ve been together for a long time and communicated well throughout the game,” said the coach. The national playoffs will be played in June in Gauteng.
Meanwhile all u13, u15 and u17 domestic league matches for the past weekend were postponed due to the taxi industry strike which brought Durban to a standstill.