AmaZulu dropped to third spot in Group B after suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of ES Setif in CAF Champions League action on Saturday night.
Result: ES Setif 2-0 AmaZulu
Date: 12 March 2022
Venue: Stade du 5 Juillet 1962
Usuthu made four changes to the side that lost against SuperSport United in the domestic league, as they recalled Thembela Sikhakhane, Luvuyo Memela, Keagan Buchanan and Siphelele Mthembu.
The game off to a bright start but AmaZulu went behind as early as the 11th minute after Riad Benayad went through on goal from Ahmed Kendouci's pass and slotted into the bottom corner.
The game was getting physical after that with Benni McCarthy's charges fired up to get the equaliser and Sikhakhane had a chance on the half-hour mark after he was picked out by Buchanan with a cross in the box but his strike missed narrowly wide.
However, the Black Eagles had the attacking momentum in the closing phase of the first stanza as Akram Djahnit eventually doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime with a close range strike after goalkeeper Veli Mothwa could only Benayad's shot.
McCarthy made a double attacking change at halftime, as he brought on Andre De Jong in place of Matarr Ceesay while Bonginkosi Ntuli replaced Mthembu.
Usuthu started to put pressure Setif in the early stages of the second stanza and Ntuli came close to pulling a goal back just before the hour-mark with a strike in the box that came off the woodwork.
The South African side continued to take the fight to Setif in the latter stages, with Mothwa almost pulling a goal back at the death with a header that missed wide after a cross by Memela from a corner.
In the end, the Black Eagles held on to claim a 2-0 win that took them above Usuthu in second place due to their superior goal difference.
AmaZulu: Mothwa, Gumede, Sikhakhane, Xoki, Malepe, Memela, Buchanan, Makhaula, Ceesay, Mthembu, Mulenga.
Subs: Amonome, Masilela, Majok, Ntuli, Shange, Mlambo, Ekstein, Khumalo, De Jong.
