Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya scored twice for AmaZulu FC in their midweek defeat, keeping him at the top of the league's scoring charts and strengthening his case for a Zimbabwe recall. The 23-year-old striker found the net in the 46th and 70th minutes during a 5-2 loss to champions Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday night.
Despite the heavy scoreline, Ngwenya's performance was a bright spot. His double means he has now scored five times in four Betway Premiership matches this season. Across all competitions, he has seven goals from just five appearances. This form has propelled AmaZulu to fourth in the standings, with seven points from their opening four games (2W-1D-1L). The team's recent form reads LWDW, and they have scored six goals while conceding six, leaving them with a zero goal difference.
Can Ngwenya earn a Warriors recall?
Ngwenya's prolific start is directly linked to his international ambitions. He hopes his seven-goal burst will convince Zimbabwe national team selectors to call him up for next month's international fixtures. "I am hoping to get selected for the national team," Ngwenya said. "That is always something I want as a player, to represent my country." He stated his wish is to transfer his club scoring form to the Warriors setup. Staying fit is his immediate priority after missing a significant portion of the early season.
What did coach Arthur Zwane say?
AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane praised his striker's impact but issued a warning about over-reliance. He revealed Ngwenya missed about two and a half months earlier in the campaign due to injury. "There’s no doubt about it." Zwane told The Herald Zimbabwe via PressReader. The coach estimated that without the setback, Ngwenya could have had 12 or 14 goals already, referencing six goals and several missed one-on-one chances prior to the layoff.
Zwane expressed concern that the squad lacks another striker with Ngwenya's current potency. He stressed that other attacking players must start sharing the goal-scoring burden for the team to progress. The defeat to Sundowns was AmaZulu's first league loss this season, yet they remain in fourth place, six points behind early leaders Orlando Pirates in the title race.
How does AmaZulu move forward?
The team's challenge is to build consistency while managing Ngwenya's workload. He began struggling with cramps late in the Sundowns match, a sign of his intense recent schedule. Zwane's task is to integrate other forwards from the squad to provide support and alternatives. AmaZulu's next fixtures, which you can view on our fixtures page, will test their ability to bounce back from a heavy defeat. Maintaining their top-four position will require contributions from across the team, not just their in-form striker. Ngwenya's next opportunity to add to his tally comes as AmaZulu looks to close the six-point gap to the summit.
