AmaZulu and Durban City chase momentum as pressure mounts on Gallants and Chippa

AmaZulu and Durban City will both be looking to build momentum this weekend as the Betway Premiership enters a defining phase, with consistency increasingly separating genuine top-eight contenders from those dragged into survival battles.

Fresh from a gritty victory over TS Galaxy on Sunday, AmaZulu will travel to Dr Molemela Stadium on Saturday afternoon to face a Marumo Gallants side desperate for a response. 

For Usuthu, the win over Galaxy was less about spectacle and more about resilience — a trait head coach Arthur Zwane has been demanding as his side searches for stability in their performances.

AmaZulu know that flashes of quality alone will not be enough to secure a top-eight finish. 

What encouraged Zwane most against Galaxy was not the goals scored, but the ability to respond after setbacks — something that has often been missing in previous campaigns.

“We need to be disciplined after scoring a goal; we need to be more composed to control the tempo, to control the game, and to make sure we don’t concede immediately,” Zwane said.

“But I think as a team that is in the phase where we are building up, it is good for such things to happen. In a real game, you test the character. Can you come back?”

Those words resonate strongly ahead of a clash with Gallants, who arrive wounded after a narrow 1-0 home defeat to Kaizer Chiefs in midweek. 

Gallants remain uncomfortably close to the relegation zone, leading bottom-placed Magesi by just four points, and cannot afford another slip as pressure mounts early in the new year. 

Expect a combative, emotionally charged contest, with Gallants fighting not just for points but for belief.

Elsewhere, attention shifts to Gqeberha, where Durban City will be eager to sustain the feel-good factor when they visit Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday at 3:30pm. 

City arrive buoyed by victory in coach Sinethemba Badela’s first match in charge, a result that injected renewed confidence into a side enjoying a solid campaign.

Currently sixth on the standings, Durban City have quietly built a reputation for balance and organisation. 

Their defensive discipline, coupled with timely goals, has allowed them to remain competitive without needing to dominate matches.

Chippa United, however, remain a team in transition. Now under the guidance of Vusumuzi Vilakazi, the Chilli Boys are searching for rhythm after a difficult first half of the season. With points at a premium, they will be desperate to turn promise into results.

This weekend’s fixtures may not carry the glamour of a title showdown, but they are rich in consequence — shaping ambitions, testing resolve and revealing which teams are ready to push forward as the season gathers pace.