28/09/2024 | PSL | |
25/09/2024 | PSL | |
14/09/2024 | PSL | |
25/05/2024 | PSL | |
18/05/2024 | PSL |
AmaZulu Statistics
PSL South Africa | Total | Home | Away |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | |||
Matches Played | |||
Wins | |||
Draws | |||
Losses | |||
Goals for | |||
Goals against | |||
Points | |||
Avg. goals scored p/m | |||
Avg. goals conceded p/m |
AmaZulu Squad
Name | Position | Played | Goals | |
---|---|---|---|---|
38 | A. Mbanjwa | Goalkeeper | ||
2 | A. Mobara | Defender | ||
11 | A. Mulenga | Attacker | ||
37 | A. Sithole | Midfielder | ||
29 | B. Haba | Attacker | ||
8 | B. Motshwari | Midfielder | ||
10 | C. Ngema | Midfielder | ||
18 | E. Brooks | Midfielder | ||
9 | E. Ighodaro | Attacker | ||
27 | H. Ekstein | Midfielder | ||
45 | K. Mngonyama | Defender | ||
30 | L. Phewa | Midfielder | ||
17 | M. Gumede | Defender | ||
3 | M. Kunene | Midfielder | ||
15 | M. Mbanjwa | Defender | ||
1 | O. Mzimela | Goalkeeper | ||
4 | R. Hanamub | Defender | ||
21 | R. Human | Midfielder | ||
23 | R. Mphahlele | Defender | ||
0 | R. Ofori | Goalkeeper | ||
33 | S. Dion | Attacker | ||
6 | S. Hlangabeza | Midfielder | ||
13 | S. Majola | Defender | ||
28 | S. Ndlovu | Midfielder | ||
25 | S. Ngobeni | Defender | ||
12 | T. Fielies | Defender | ||
19 | T. Moremi | Midfielder | ||
5 | T. Sikhakhane | Defender | ||
44 | V. Mothwa | Goalkeeper | ||
26 | W. Jooste | Midfielder |
Team History
AmaZulu, one of South Africa’s oldest clubs, was formed in 1932 by Zulu migrant workers. Originally known as Zulu Royal Conquerors, the club underwent various changes, including a name change to Zulu Royals and the adoption of royal blue and white as their colors. The team’s logo also featured a shield. Over the years, the club faced internal conflicts and relocations. Eventually, it was rebuilt as Zulu Royals United and later replaced African Wanderers in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1971. In 1972, they won the NPSL league title. However, in 1973, the departure of manager Mr. Bethwell Masondo and key players led to a decline in performance. The club was taken over by supporters in 1974 and renamed AmaZulu Football Club.
The Revived AmaZulu FC
In 1985, AmaZulu entered a new phase of their history with the formation of the National Soccer League (NSL) under the leadership of Mr. David Dlamini. They experienced notable achievements, reaching the finals of the Mainstay Cup and Iwisa Charity Cup in 1987 under coach Clive Barker. Despite narrowly losing to Kaizer Chiefs, the club continued to make strides. In 1990, they reached the Bob Save Super Bowl final and secured victory in the inaugural Coca-Cola Cup in 1992. AmaZulu finished third on the league table in 1993. Over the years, the club saw changes in leadership, including Mr. Ncanana, Mr. Dan Naidoo, Mr. Mike Segal, Mr. Dave King, and Mr. Sisa Bikisha, who changed the club’s name to Zulu Royal in 2002.
In 2005, Dr. Patrick Sokhela acquired the club from Mr. Sisa Bikisha and revived the Zulu outfit by renaming it AmaZulu Football Club. The club made significant moves by purchasing the Premier Soccer League status of Dynamos, returning to the top flight. A memorable moment came in 2012 when AmaZulu celebrated their 80th anniversary by playing a friendly match against English giants Manchester United. Although they lost to a solitary goal by Federico Macheda, the occasion was a testament to the club’s rich history.
After being relegated in the 2014–15 season, AmaZulu faced challenges in their journey back to the Premier Soccer League. However, they regained their status by purchasing Thanda Royal Zulu’s Premier Soccer League status in the 2016–17 season. The club achieved a seventh-place finish in the 2017–18 season, but due to disciplinary action against Ajax Cape Town, AmaZulu dropped to ninth position. The club also faced point deductions in 2018 for failure to comply with a ruling regarding the illegal termination of a former player’s contract.
The 2019–20 season was marked by coaching changes and the club’s battle to secure their PSL status. Under the guidance of Ayanda Dlamini and Moeneeb Josephs, AmaZulu managed to avoid relegation, finishing 13th. Despite facing financial difficulties and implementing salary cuts, the club showed resilience and received criticism for their handling of the situation.
On October 2, 2020, Sandile Zungu acquired AmaZulu from Patrick Sokhela, outlining a 12-year plan to elevate the club’s status in South African football. Under the new ownership, Benni McCarthy became the head coach, accompanied by assistant coaches Siyabonga Nomvethe and Vasili Manousakis. Ayanda Dlamini was redeployed to the club’s youth structures, and Allan Freese’s contract was mutually terminated. Moeneeb Josephs joined as the first team goalkeeper coach, while Justin Hamburger joined the Performance Analysis department.
In Sandile Zungu’s first season as owner, AmaZulu finished second in the league, securing a spot in the CAF Champions League preliminary round. They advanced to the group stages after defeating Nyasa Big Bullets and TP Mazembe. AmaZulu became the seventh South African team to progress beyond the preliminary stages of the competition.
AmaZulu’s training and administrative offices are located at Moses Mabhida Stadium, with the technical team based at Prime Human Performance Institute. The team plays their home games at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The club established a partnership with the University of KwaZulu-Natal Biokinetics, Sports and Leisure Science department, where students assist with youth training sessions and physical testing. Additionally, AmaZulu formed a formal link with the International Soccer Science and Performance Federation (ISSPF) as their official educational partner.