Ofori Out Due to Concussion, According to Zwane
AmaZulu’s head coach Arthur Zwane has announced that their key goalkeeper, Richard Ofori, will be out of action for at least one to two weeks.
Ofori sustained a serious injury during the recent MTN8 quarter-final defeat to Stellenbosch at DHL Stadium last weekend, which resulted in a bloodied face and concussion.
The injury occurred during an unintentional collision with Stellenbosch’s Sanele Barns, who scored the equalizing goal, resulting in Ofori’s facial injury. The former Ghana assistant captain was swiftly substituted, with Olwethu Mzimela stepping in as his replacement.
Despite taking an early lead, Usuthu ultimately lost that match 3-2.
Zwane confirmed that Ofori will be unavailable for the upcoming Betway Premiership opener against freshly promoted Orbit College, slated for Saturday at Princess Magogo Stadium (15:00).
This incident marks Ofori’s second head injury within a short span, as he sustained a similar injury during the KZN Premier’s Cup. Zwane expressed concern, stating, “repeated impacts can result in greater damage, so we must be careful.”
AmaZulu’s current goalkeeping lineup includes the recent acquisition Darren Johnson, who arrived from Chippa United. It remains uncertain who will assume the goalkeeping responsibilities in the match against Orbit College.
Last season, AmaZulu recorded 29 goals while conceding 34. The coach highlighted that individual errors were a significant barrier to the team’s progress in the league.
“Looking back at the team’s start last season, individual mistakes were quite prominent,” Zwane observed, noting their efforts to address this by bringing in players like Johnson. He also pointed out that many recent goals conceded stemmed from “set pieces” and that the team tends to “freeze” during pivotal moments.
“Experiencing this early in the season is advantageous,” Zwane stated, asserting that rectifying these individual mistakes will improve overall team performance.
