AmaZulu beat 10-man Cape Town City 1-0 in their DStv Premiership match at DHL Stadium, in Cape Town on Sunday.
Playing with a man down for over an hour, City finally caved under the pressure from AmaZulu with just under 20 minutes remaining in the clash.
It was a vital win, and first league victory in 2024, for AmaZulu as they put breathing space between them and the relegation zone after coming into the clash in 13th spot and one position above the bottom three.
With the triumph, AmaZulu move up to 29 points and two positions to 11th from 23 matches. For City, they remain on 34 points in sixth spot on the table.
Strange moment
Cape Town City had an excellent chance of opening the scoring in the 10th minute in unusual fashion. AmaZulu keeper Veli Mothwa was adjudged to have held onto the ball too long in the box before clearing and the referee awarded an indirect free-kick. Though City’s Aprocius Petrus let rip a fierce shot, it took a deflection off one of the AmaZulu players as the ball rocketed into the stands.
Khanyisa Mayo was next to threaten for City moments later, but he could not find the beating of Mothwa.
City were dealt a heavy blow in the 26th minute, when Keanu Cupido brought down Sepana Letsoalo when he was through on goal. Cupido was the last man, and the referee had no choice but to give the defender his marching orders as the hosts were reduced to 10 men.
AmaZulu were awarded a free-kick just outside the City area in the 62nd minute, but George Maluleka did not manage to trouble Darren Keet in goal as the shot sailed into the empty stands.
The breakthrough finally came in the 71st minute for AmaZulu. After a headed shot hit the City posts, Sede Dion was in perfect position to nudge the ball into an open net.
In the other match of the day, Royal AM beat Polokwane City 3-1 in Pietermaritzburg.