'We are super proud' - McCarthy ecstatic after AmaZulu FC clinch Caf Champions League qualification

AmaZulu FC head coach Benni McCarthy is ecstatic after making history with the KwaZulu-Natal giants, who qualified for the Caf Champions League on Wednesday night.

Usuthu booked their place in the continental tournament for the first time in the club's history after defeating Swallows FC 1-0 at Jonsson Kings Park Stadium. 

The only goal of the game was netted by Tapelo Xoki in the 48th minute as AmaZulu claimed a win in their penultimate PSL match of the 2020/21 season. 

McCarthy, who only joined Usuthu in December 2020, is happy to have guided the Durban-based side to a second-place finish on the PSL standings which saw the team book its spot in next season's Champions League.

"I am extremely excited and happy for the players. I think they deserve it. They have been fantastic throughout the season," McCarthy told the media.

"Yeah I know people say that we didn't get a win in our last two games."

Usuthu came into the clash with AmaZulu having suffered two succussive 1-0 defeats to Baroka FC and Orlando Pirates. 

"We were off the pace, but when you have a 16-match unbeaten run somewhere along the lines people will want to take you off your purple patch and make things difficult for us that is exactly what happened," he added.

"But a champion is judged on how he gets up and how he moves forward. Two games, two losses, but against one of the toughest teams in the league, a team that has 19 draws and one defeat and we come and play them off the park."

McCarthy's side ended Swallows' 11-match unbeaten run in the league and it was only the Soweto team's second defeat of the campaign.

"We could have added more [goals] to the scoreboard, but we take the 1-0 win and it gives us the three valuable points which we needed," the retired striker continued. 

"Now we can go and see how everything unfolds and see who fights for number three and number four. But Champions League football is coming to the KwaZulu-Natal region.

"We are super proud, I am proud of AmaZulu's players, technical team, and everyone who is associated with the club." 

AmaZulu will wrap up a successful PSL campaign with a clash against a relegation-threatened Maritzburg United side in the KwaZulu-Natal Derby on Saturday.