Latest news with #RichardOfori
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
AmaZulu hold Pirates to a draw in Durban
The teams were locked at 0-0 at the break. Orlando Pirates were held to a 1-1 draw in a Betway Premiership match played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday. Usuthu appeared to take all three points when Tshepang Moremi put them in the lead in the 66th minute, only for Mpho Mvelase to strike in the 77th minute to earn the Buccaneers a share of the spoils. It was the young midfielder's first goal for the Pirates first team. ALSO READ: Misfiring Chiefs fail to reach the MTN8 again Pirates dominated possession in the first half, but they created few goalscoring opportunities as a result Richard Ofori only made one save. Pirates had to make an early change in the first half when Mbekezeli Mbokazi failed to recover from a knock and was replaced by Tapelo Xoki in the 21st minute. Maswanganyi missed a good chance to put Pirates in the lead in the 24th minute when he was set up by Mohau Nkota, but the Bucs midfielder shot wide from close range. Three minutes later, Richard Ofori denied Deon Hotto from long range as the visitors continued to ask questions from the Pirates defence. Maswanganyi was presented with a chance to redeem himself in the 44th minute following another good buildup from Pirates, but he shot narrowly wide of goal. The teams were locked at 0-0 at the break. Usuthu coach Arthur Zwane made two changes at the start of the second half bringing in goalkeeper Mlondi Mbanjwa for the injured Ofori and striker Augustine Mulenga for Tebogo Mashigo. The Buccaneers continued to dominate possession in the second half, but it was the home team that took the lead through an own goal by Maswanganyi, who tried to clear Just when it looked as though AmaZulu were going to take all the three points on offer, Selepe grabbed the equaliser for Pirates pouncing on a loose ball inside the Usuthu penalty area and putting the ball into the net. The result saw Pirates remaining second on the log with 60 points, 13 points behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns, while AmaZulu finished the season on position six with 35 points after 28 games.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
AmaZulu's Ofori braces for ‘cup final' against former side Orlando Pirates
Richard Ofori AmaZulu goalkeeper Richard Ofori will be keen to get one over his previous club, Orlando Pirates. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix AmaZulu goalkeeper Richard Ofori is not entertaining any nostalgia as he prepares to face his former club, Orlando Pirates, in what he's calling a 'cup final' for Usuthu. The Durban-based outfit will welcome the Soweto giants to Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off), with a place in next season's MTN8 competition up for grabs. A single point will be enough for Arthur Zwane's side to secure a top-eight finish in the final round of the 2024/25 Premiership campaign. Ofori, who spent several seasons with the Buccaneers before switching to AmaZulu, says the emotional attachment is not part of his mental preparation. 'Every game is important, and that's how we take them. Football sometimes doesn't go the way we want it to go, but we prepare our mindset and focus on each and every game,' Ofori said. 'Whether it's a former club or whoever we're playing, it's a big game and it's a cup final for us. 'I expect it to be a beautiful game. 'It will be nice to be some of my former teammates, but this is just a football game that we are playing, with nothing added on top. So, our attitude needs to match up with that.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The Sea Robbers are heading for our shores, but we're ready to defend every grain of sand! 🏖️🔜 🎟️ Tickets are available at @TicketProSA outlets – secure your spot on the frontline now! ⚔️🪖#BetwayPrem #HebeUsuthu #UsuthuTogether — AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) May 21, 2025 AmaZulu currently occupy sixth place on the log standings, but that position is far from secure. A defeat to Pirates, coupled with results elsewhere, could see them miss out on the lucrative MTN8 tournament – a scenario Ofori and company are determined to avoid. Pirates come into the match having secured second spot in the league and CAF Champions League qualification. While head coach Jose Riveiro is no longer on the bench following compassionate leave, Ofori believes the Buccaneers remain a formidable force. 'I don't think their intensity has dropped (since Riveiro left). In fact, it's been the same, to be honest, (judging from) the last two games against Golden Arrows and SuperSport. I don't think they look tired,' he observed. 'But at this stage of the season, tiredness sets in and the mindset sometimes goes down a bit because of the fatigue. 'But they won against SuperSport, which means they're in good shape.' Nah dawg @orlandopirates you really robbed us of a good ending 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾 You hurt us 💔 — Rehauhetswe M (@hauza_) May 20, 2025 AmaZulu have not played since their 1-1 draw against Polokwane City on May 2, a break that may offer physical freshness but also risks match sharpness. Ofori, however, believes the focus should remain inward. 'We need to focus on our game because at the end of the day, they're still Pirates – no matter who their coach is – because the name in itself sometimes plays a role, no matter the personnel that's playing.' While Saturday's match won't feature silverware, the stakes are just as high for Ofori and his teammates. A top-eight finish would represent a significant step forward for a club that started the season on shaky ground and has been steadily rebuilt under Zwane. Now it all comes down to 90 minutes – and AmaZulu's shot-stopper knows exactly what's on the line.
