With their Nedbank Cup journey over Arthur Zwane and his AmaZulu side refocus their strengths on a Top 4 finish.
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AmaZulu’s season has been a story of fleeting promise overshadowed by cup knockout heartbreaks, but re-shifting their focus and energy back to the Betway Premiership and finding consistent form will no doubt be their main concentration from now onwards.
Their initial target has always been a Top4 finish in the league, and hosting provincial rivals Richards Bay at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening will be fitting test.
Arthur Zwane's men occupy sixth spot on the Betway Premiership table, behind a much less experienced but more hungry Durban City.
Finding a rhythm and stringing together purposeful and attacking passes is something Usuthu have struggled with recently, after starting 2026 on a positive. Their recent short rest though, should have afforded them the opportunity to reflect and refresh for the season run in.
The road ahead doesn't look that much easier, with Orlando Pirates and Sekukhukune United still up on the cards.
For a squad often referred to by their coach as "A work in progress", balancing league commitments with knockout fixtures has often stretched their depth.
The intensity of cup football meant several players had to manage heavy workloads, leading to visible fatigue during crucial stretches. At times, the team struggled to maintain the sharpness and attacking fluency expected of them.
All that is now behind them though with their quarter-final elimination from the Nedbank Cup.
Although that means no silverware for the ambitious club president Sandile Zungu, but in return it may also provide AmaZulu with the breathing room they desperately need as the season heads into its decisive stages.
With fewer matches on the calendar, the technical team now have a chance to focus entirely on league preparation.
Recovery periods between games will improve, allowing key players to regain energy while also giving coaches more time on the training ground to refine tactics and address areas that have been problematic.
One of those areas has been consistency in front of goal. AmaZulu have defended better than they've attacked. Often creating promising passages of play but have not always converted them into the goals needed to secure victories.
With the pressure of cup football removed, there is hope that the team can rediscover a more composed and clinical approach in the final third.
A strong finish in the league could still salvage the campaign. The race for positions just below the title contenders remains tightly contested, and a series of positive results could propel AmaZulu into the upper half of the standings.
For a club with ambitions of remaining competitive among South Africa’s elite, a top five finish would represent a respectable outcome after a season that has had its share of setbacks.
Jehran Naidoo is sports reporter with focus on motorsport for Independent Media and coordinator of the social media channel The Clutch