AmaZulu co-coach Arthur Zwane has expressed unwavering faith in new signing Elmo Kambindu, hoping that the striker’s arrival from Chippa United will bring a much-needed spark to the team’s attacking arsenal.
Following a disappointing first half of the season where Kambindu failed to score in eight appearances for the Chilli Boys, many sceptics are questioning whether he can find the net consistently at Usuthu.
Kambindu's signing comes on the heels of Junior Dion’s unexpected loan move to Marumo Gallants. Dion, who topped the AmaZulu scoring charts last season with nine goals, will be missed, but Zwane is intent on reshaping the team's dynamics with the introduction of Kambindu.
Elmo Kambindu has been initiated and is now one of us. He becomes the eighth Namibian ever to don our famous green and white colours 🫱![CDATA[]]>🏾🫲![CDATA[]]>🏿![CDATA[]]>🇳![CDATA[]]>🇦#ThatsPower #HebeUsuthu #UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/fpHU4ncAlS
— AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) January 15, 2025
The 31-year-old forward joins compatriots Sandile Mthethwa and Bongani Zungu in the club’s quest for a top-eight finish in the Betway Premiership after a lacklustre performance in the previous campaign.
During his time at Chippa United, Kambindu managed to net five goals in 22 starts over two-and-a-half seasons.
His lack of success in front of goal this season raises questions about his finishing ability, especially as AmaZulu searches for a ‘fox in the box’ to complement their leading scorer Etiosa Ighodaro.
The club's ambition to solidify its position in the top eight will hinge on converting promising chances into tangible results.
Zwane, however, is cautious not to place excessive pressure on Kambindu, emphasising that football is a team effort.
“Why should all of that responsibility fall purely on the striker?” Zwane remarked.
“We’re looking for the complete player; the goals will come naturally.” He pointed out the need to consider the overall contributions that Kambindu can make to the attacking set-up, not just his goal tally.
"Something had to give!"
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 26, 2023
Elmo Kambindu does it again with a calm finish to give Chippa United the win. That's his third goal in just two matches in the #DStvPrem ⚽🔥 pic.twitter.com/9cuAHzmAjf
The former Kaizer Chiefs player and coach highlighted the broader context of the league, noting that other top teams like Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates also face challenges in securing a prolific goal scorer.
“The log-leaders Sundowns don’t have a prolific striker right now, all of their goals are coming from midfielders. Pirates are also heavily reliant on (Relebohile) Mofokeng’s goals, he has won at least six or seven games by himself this season,” he explained.
“Sometimes it’s all about the environment you place a player in, and we’re hoping this is the case with Kambindu. He will help us a lot; he will shock a lot of people this boy.”
As AmaZulu gears up for the next chapter in their campaign, Kambindu’s ability to adapt and contribute to the team’s goal-scoring efforts will be pivotal.
With Zwane's and experienced heads like Pule Ekstein and Ben Motswari’s backing and a supportive overall environment, there is a prevailing hope that the new arrival will exceed expectations and prove his critics wrong.
Sitting ninth on the league standings, Usuthu return to action against Stellenbosch next Thursday.
The Durban based club will be in search of their sixth win of the season, one that could take them as high as fifth by the end of the match week.