Zwane urges calm as AmaZulu stay in the hunt for third spot

Usuthu kept themselves firmly in contention after playing to a 1-1 draw against Siwelele in the Betway Premiership over the weekend. The result leaves them in fourth position on the log, just three points behind Kaizer Chiefs, who currently occupy third place with games still in hand.

Zwane admits that while competing on the continent remains a key objective, he is wary of publicly placing that burden on his players, noting that external expectations could create unnecessary pressure on a developing group.

"We are very ambitious. We really want to go and participate in Africa, but we don't want to put ourselves under pressure as a team. We are playing with you nesters who are still finding themselves at this level.

"Behind the scenes and in the corridors of the club we can put ourselves under pressure, but the media message is totally different to what we are pursuing. When you're playing with youngsters, you want them to keep their feet on the ground."

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AmaZulu have already shown clear improvement compared to last season’s campaign, where they ended sixth with 35 points from 28 matches. In the current term, they have surpassed that tally and now sit on 39 points with six fixtures still to play, highlighting steady progress under Zwane’s guidance.

Despite being within touching distance of a top three finish, Zwane insists the focus will remain on internal performances rather than results elsewhere. 

He also reflects on missed opportunities, particularly in draws against Siwelele and Sekhukhune United, where he believes his side did enough to claim maximum points.

"As much as we set goals for ourselves to achieve, at the same time we take each game as it comes. We are just focusing on ourselves and we are not looking at or relying on other teams. In our past two games we could've grabbed maximum points in both of them."

AmaZulu face a demanding run-in as the season approaches its conclusion, with six matches remaining that could define their campaign. Among those is a high-stakes clash against title contenders Orlando Pirates, local derby encounters with Golden Arrows and Durban City FC, as well as a crucial meeting with Kaizer Chiefs, who are also chasing a CAF qualification spot.

Zwane acknowledges the difficulty of the remaining schedule and reiterates that maintaining composure will be key.