AmaZulu's hopes of reaching the CAF Champions League quarter-finals suffered a blow after going down 2-0 to Raja Casablanca on Friday night.
Result: AmaZulu 0-2 Raja Casablanca
Date: 18 March 2022
Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium
Usuthu recalled Thabo Qalinge from from their defeat against ES Setif, who joined Augustine Mulenga and Luvuyo Memela in a front three, as Siphelele Mthembu and Matarr Ceesay dropped to the bench.
Raja had a perfect start after Hamid Ahadad gave them the lead in the sixth minute with a looped volley over the on-rushing goalkeeper Veli Mothwa after a through ball by Mohsine Moutouali.
The visitors were not allowing AmaZulu to play their passing game with a high press and Marouane Hadhoudi almost doubled their lead in the 22nd minute with a volleyed strike in the box from a corner situation.
Usuthu suffered a blow in the 33rd minute after Mulenga got injured and he was replaced by Bonginkosi Ntuli and Mothwa kept Benni McCarthy's charges in the game just after that after he parried Moutouali's cracking free-kick from outside the box onto the crossbar.
AmaZulu were struggling to break down Raja in the early stages of the second stanza and McCarthy made a double attacking change in the 67th minute, as Hendrick Ekstein replaced Sandile Khumalo and Sphesihle Maduna came on for Keagan Buchanan.
The Green Eagles were more threatening on counter-attacks and Ilias Haddad eventually doubled their lead 14 minutes before time with a clinical strike in the box after going through on goal from Jamal Haddad's headed pass.
Raja were defending in numbers in the closing stages but Ntuli almost got a goal back for the hosts in stoppages with a header in the box from a corner that forced a save out of shot-stopper Marouane Fakhr, as the Moroccan giants held on to qualify for the group stages with a match to spare.
Usuthu could be out of contention for a place in the quarter-finals if ES Setif beat Horoya later in the evening.
AmaZulu: Mothwa, Gumede, Malepe, Khumalo, Xoki, Sikhakhane, Makhaula, Buchanan, Qalinge, Mulenga, Memela.
Subs: Amonome, Masilela, Mlambo, Ceesay, Ekstein, Maduna, Ntuli, Majok, Mthembu
Raja: Fakhr, Hadhoudi, Harkass, Haddad, Jbira, Nahiri, Boulahroudd, Zrida, Ngoma, Moitaouali, Ahadad
