AmaZulu striker Thando Ngwenya aware of growing attention from opponents

The Zimbabwean forward was unable to find the net in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium, but Hendrick Ekstein’s penalty secured Usuthu’s place in the Carling Knockout quarter-finals.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Ngwenya acknowledged that opponents were devising ways to contain him and frustrate AmaZulu as they look to maintain their impressive form.

"Everyone is preparing for me but it's gonna give others a chance to score because everyone is coming for me. Coach Arthur Zwane is someone who demands a lot, so he always tells me to always watch those strikers and to have effect. To get in the field I must be mentally strong because everyone is gonna be on me,” Ngwenya said.

Ngwenya argued he might have to dig deep. 

"It's a bit demanding now because I have to find another way to penetrate because everyone is looking for how I'm scoring, so I must find another way to score. Maybe I was not doing it correctly, so you have to give other people a chance," he added.

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Usuthu coach Arthur Zwane also weighed in on the situation, having subbed him off early in the second half as he struggled to trouble the Kruger defense. 

"You know Thando is the type of a player that does well when he gets a goal early in the game. He had about two early in the game, the first one was flicked into his path and he reacted slowly. The second one also his reaction was very, very slow and I believe the one that Sibiya had to recover when he outsprinted him,” Zwane explained.

“You can't push the ball and expose your ball to the right when the defender is coming from the right side. Put it to your left and put your body across, if he commits, you can get a foul, you understand what I'm saying. So, those ones you take, you make them count."