Benni McCarthy is delighted that his AmaZulu team could lay the gauntlet for the chasing pack again.
BENNI McCarthy is delighted that his AmaZulu team could lay the gauntlet for the chasing pack again.
Usuthu slipped into third position on the league table on goal difference to neighbours’ Golden Arrows after the goalless mid-week draw against league-leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. But McCarthy’s outfit quickly regained second spot on Saturday, courtesy of Lehlohonolo Majoro brace in the 2-1 home victory over TS Galaxy. Arrows still have to play Chippa United away on Sunday.
“We are delighted very happy with the performance, the attitude of the players, and the way we handled ourselves. We have now put the put the pressure back on everyone else, Sundowns and Golden Arrows, who had overtaken us,” the former Bafana Bafana marksman said.
“We were slightly disappointed in our last home game against Sundowns where we didn’t get the three points, so this was was the game where we needed to lift ourselves up. The game came three days after the Sundowns game, so this is the perfect way to bounce back.”
AmaZulu travel to Cape Town next week for a crucial clash against a resurgent Cape Town City on Wednesday. City will be tough opponents for Amazulu as the Citizens are in the midst of purple three-game winning streak.
Equally, the game will have an extra dose of passion for it will be the first time McCarthy will be returning home to his former club since leaving City midway through last season.
It is for this reason that McCarthy was glad they could pick up the home points before taking the road.
“We didn’t wait to see what the opposition will bring to us because when we are at home, we try to be clinical and direct and we try to take the fight to anyone. We just wanted to put the minds right, the mentality right,” he said.
“We have two very difficult home games coming up, so if we collect three home points it will count in our favour. I’m very happy with the overall performance of every single player, the starting XI and the substitutes who came off the bench and made a difference.”
