AmaZulu head coach Arthur Zwane has explained why he substituted in-form striker Thando Ngwenya during Usuthu’s narrow 1-0 victory over Kruger United in the Carling Knockout Cup, admitting that the forward failed to make the most of his early opportunities.

AmaZulu secured their place in the next round after Hendrik Ekstein converted a late penalty at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday. However, despite advancing in the competition, Zwane was unhappy with his team’s overall performance and highlighted several areas that needed improvement.

Ngwenya, who has been enjoying a promising spell in front of goal, had opportunities to give AmaZulu an early advantage but struggled to react quickly enough in key moments. His missed chances appeared to influence Zwane’s decision to take him off.

The coach explained that Ngwenya’s game benefits from scoring early, making his failure to capitalise on those opportunities particularly disappointing.

Zwane pointed to two early situations in which the striker could have done better, arguing that his reactions were too slow when the ball came into his path.

The AmaZulu coach also highlighted another incident in which Ngwenya was beaten for pace by a defender. He used the situation to emphasise the importance of making quicker decisions and responding more decisively when opportunities arise.

Although Ngwenya has shown encouraging form, Zwane’s comments suggest that the technical team expects greater consistency and sharper execution from the forward, particularly in matches where chances may be limited.

AmaZulu ultimately found a way to secure victory through Ekstein’s late penalty, sparing the team from a potential cup upset against Kruger United.

However, the narrow result did little to hide Zwane’s concerns about the performance. The coach will expect his players to improve as they continue their Carling Knockout Cup campaign, with greater urgency in attack likely to be among the priorities.

For Ngwenya, the challenge will be to respond positively to the substitution and turn future scoring opportunities into goals as he looks to maintain his place in the team.

Source : https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2114688539526897901