Amazulu beat Pretoria University 3-1 in the second-leg Mvela Platinum play-off final at a packed Princess Magogo Stadium on Sunday and celebrated their return to the Premiership with their fanatical supporters.
Veteran Amazulu striker Dennis Lota scored in the 34th minute and John ”Shoes” Moshoeu doubled Usuthu’s lead in the 53rd minute. Amazulu captain Martin Carelse made an uncharacteristic mistake in the 68th minute when he scored an own goal. This gave the visitors a glimmer of hope as they tried to come back, but Kagiso Senamela put the game out of Tuks’s reach when he scored in the 73rd minute.
The first-leg game ended in a 0-0 draw at the Loftus Stadium on Wednesday.
AmaTuks wasted good chances in this game and will surely regret it when they look back.
Both teams started fervently as they searched for the opening goal. AmaTuks striker George Mofokeng kept the Amazulu defence on their toes in defence.
Amazulu took their time going forward and finally exploited the visitors after half an hour. Moshoeu nodded down a good cross from the right into the path of Lota who headed home from four yards out while the Pretoria defence stood watching.
The crowd went wild as Lota celebrated his fifth goal of the play-offs and the hosts took their slender lead into the half-time break.
Tuks drew 1-1 with Winners Park in their semifinal play-off and advanced to the final courtesy of the away-goal rule. Knowing that the university boys would not sit back, AmaZulu went forward with
purpose and gave the visitors little time on the ball. They doubled their lead on a quick counter-attack when Carelse found Senamela in space with a raking pass from his half.
Senamela avoided two challenges before he found Moshoeu (42) in space on the edge of the box. With the Tuks defence on the back foot, the oldest player on the field let go with a thunderous left-footed shot that flew in to the back of the net.
AmaZulu’s two goals eased their play and allowed Tuks to attack more often. The spirited youngsters went forward with purpose despite their deficit and were rewarded when Carelse made a blunder after taking the ball off the goal line.
Mofokeng’s header caught Tshepo Moetsoeneng off guard and, despite getting a hand to it, the ball rolled towards goal. Carelse pulled the ball back with his right foot but then miscued it with his left boot.
Moetsoeneng was livid and his skipper distraught. Tuks sensed another upset and with just 20 minutes left went forward in numbers.
Lota became the provider for the final goal as Tuks again committed too many players in attack. The former Zambian international beat two players in the box before setting up Senamela with a well-timed pass. The striker made no mistake from just inside the small box.
With time running out and Amazulu buoyed by their fervent supporters, Tuks’s heads dropped as two goals seemed too much for the university side.
Amazulu tried for another goal but found the Tuks players back in numbers. Nevertheless, it was too late for Sammy Troughton’s side as Amazulu confirmed their status as Premiership material. — Sapa