AmaZulu will be without Gabadinho Mhango for their DStv Premiership clash against Chippa United on Saturday afternoon (15:00).
The KwaZulu-Natal side will host Chippa at the Moses Mabhida Stadium without their top striker Mhango, who is suspended after being shown his fourth yellow card in the goalless draw against Kaizer Chiefs last weekend in Soweto.
Mhango hit the ground running for Brandon Truter’s side as he scored three goals in six league games so far this campaign.
The Malawian international joined the KZN-based side ahead of the 2022/23 season from Orlando Pirates in a swap deal that saw Tapelo Xoki go the opposite direction.
MHANGO’s PEDIGREE!!!
In the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Morocco, Mhango was one of the stand-out players in the tournament. The speedy attacker scored four goals as Malawi fell short in the round of 16 at the hand of the North African giants’ Morocco.
Usuthu are currently placed fourth on the league standings – two points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns who are the defending champions.
Despite Mhango’s rich vein of in Africa’s showpiece, the former Bidvest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic star remained frozen out of the Buccaneers match day squad.
In the 2021/22 campaign under co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fladu Davids, Mhango only managed five league appearances without finding the back of the net.
During the 2019/20 season, the 29-year-old goal poacher was the joint top goal scorer with Namibian striker Peter Shalulile with 16 goals apiece.
In that same season, ‘Gaba’ as he’s affectionately known, amassed 22 appearances for the Soweto giants.
Truter will look to veteran striker Lehlohonolo) Majoro, Dumisani Zuma, Augustine Kwem and Bonginkosi Ntuli for goals.
And a win for AmaZulu over the Chilli Boys will see them move to the summit of the table if the other results go their way this weekend.
“Chippa is a team that’s resolute in defence and can also get you in a counterattack. So, we have to be careful in the game, especially in committing numbers in the attack,” said Truter.
“I think once we get that right and score early a goal or two. We will be good to go for the three points on the day.”
Other suspended players for this weekend’s DStv Premiership matches include Brooklyn Poggenpoel of Chippa United, Goodman Mosele of Pirates and Aubrey Modiba of Sundowns.
