The post Arthur Zwane on why Orlando Pirates deserve to end Sundowns’ dominance appeared first on MDNtv.
]]>The title race has exploded into life after Sundowns suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to TS Galaxy earlier this week.
That result opened the door for the Pirates, who now need just three points from their final two matches to be crowned champions.
The Buccaneers host Durban City at Orlando Stadium on Saturday before ending the season away to Orbit College FC at Mbombela Stadium.
Zwane admitted Pirates have earned the right to finally lift the trophy after years of pushing Sundowns all the way.
“But what do you say about what happened on Tuesday night? Whoever thought it was going to turn out this way?” Zwane said.
“That’s football for you. It’s unpredictable. But by the look of things, Pirates might win the league this weekend.”
Zwane also warned that Orlando Amstel Arena has become one of the toughest places to visit in South African football.
“Sometimes you’ve got to give credit when it’s due,” he said. “That place there… teams go there and get hit by five or six goals.
“We also got hit by three goals there. That team is at a different level at that place.”
The former Kaizer Chiefs coach believes Pirates’ rise has been years in the making.
“When you look at them over the past three years, you could see they’ve been knocking,” said Zwane.
“They’ve been finishing second for the last three seasons, so this has been coming.”
Zwane even compared the Pirates’ journey to Arsenal’s title challenge in England.
“It’s like what has been happening in England,” he added.
“As a person, I think Arsenal should win it because they’ve been pushing for years. But I can’t say it with Pirates because I am a coach in the same league and I should be challenging for it.”
Despite praising Pirates, Zwane remains focused on securing a top-four finish with AmaZulu as they prepare to face Chiefs in Durban this weekend.
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]]>The 29-year-old shot-stopper had been pushing for a place in Hugo Broos’ squad following a string of impressive performances for Usuthu this season. However, his hopes have now been dashed after being sidelined for up to six months.
AmaZulu head coach Arthur Zwane confirmed the extent of the setback.
“Darren unfortunately is going to be out for some time,” said Zwane. “He is going to be out for probably six months, at most.”
Johnson, who joined AmaZulu at the start of the campaign, quickly established himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. He made 21 appearances across all competitions and kept nine clean sheets, playing a key role in the team’s defensive stability.
His absence has now opened the door for Olwethu Mzimela to step up between the posts, with Richard Ofori also part of the goalkeeping options.
Zwane admitted that injuries in the goalkeeping department have been a major challenge for the club this season.
“We’re probably the only team that has used all its goalkeepers this season,” he said.
“Should anything happen to Olwethu, we have Ofori, but then we would have no backup. We would have to rely on the DDC goalkeepers. The question is, are they ready for top-flight football?
“These are unforeseen circumstances. You don’t complain — you have to carry on and find solutions.”
Despite conceding three goals in their recent clash against Orlando Pirates, Mzimela produced a solid performance, making several key saves to prevent a heavier defeat.
Johnson’s injury comes as a significant blow both for AmaZulu and his international ambitions, just as he was building momentum for a potential national team call-up.
With Johnson out of contention, it leaves Pirates’ Sipho Chaine, Kaizer Chiefs’ Brandon Petersen and Siwelele FC’s Ricardo Goss to fight for the two spots alongside Ronwen Williams.
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