AmaZulu new head coach Romain Folz has expressed his delight with the return to action of Usuthu midfielder Sphesihle Maduna.
Having missed the side's previous four matches, Maduna marked his return to the starting eleven with his first goal of the season to put Usuthu ahead against Orlando Pirates on Friday night.
Although the game eventually ended in a 1-1 draw, Folz was pleased with the midfielder's shift.
"I'm very happy for Maduna to get his first goal, I think he deserved it. He is working hard, and he can always do better but he is someone I trust to have a lot of qualities to bring to the team and to show everyone [his ability]," the Frenchman said.
Big teams are sleeping on Sphesihle Maduna ??
— Tsholofelo Teko Modise (@thetrueteko) October 14, 2022
At 22 years old, Maduna has already racked up more than 70 appearances for Usuthu since making his debut in 2018. He's shown glimpses of his potential but has struggled with consistency.
Maduna came through AmaZulu's development ranks as one of the country's most promising prospects. The attacking midfielder had his breakthrough season with Usuthu in the 2019/20 season where he made 25 appearances for the Durban outfit, starting 22 of those matches.
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His playing time has since declined to 17 appearances in the 2021/22 campaign, and just five appearances this season, with two of them coming from the substitutes' bench.