Arrows sink Downs on soggy pitch

True to their nickname, Golden Arrows displayed some fine football yesterday afternoon at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium and their flamboyant play was enough to see them bag all three points against defending Absa Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns, beating them 3-2.

The rain was pouring in most parts of KwaZulu-Natal this past weekend and Clermont – home to the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium – was not spared and the wet weather played a part in most of the goals.

The Brazilians got their noses in front in the 41st minute through Thapelo Morena. The pacey winger was found by Tebogo Langerman who was given a lot of space down the left flank in the first half. The water in Edmore Sibanda’s goal area took the pace off Morena’s tap-in and it looked as though it was in slow-motion.

Downs dominated the first stanza but the hosts started to play like the home side in the second half and that is when they began to dominate and scored the equaliser.

As the saying goes, cometh the hour cometh the man. The man was Danny Phiri who leveled matters for Arrows in the 60th minute.

His goal, however, was a result of a Denis Onyango flop as Phiri’s shot was directed straight to the Ugandan goalkeeper, who did palm the ball but it somehow bounced through his legs into the back of the net.

It was then Knox Mutizwa (above) who put Arrows in front when he fired past Onyango from an acute angle. Mutizwa received a delightful ball from Ntsako Makhubela, whose cross fooled Sundowns’ defensive pairing of Motjeka Madisha and captain for the day Mosa Lebusa. They relaxed when the ball was in flight assuming it would fly over the bar.

That was not the case as it fell to Mutizwa far on the right flank and he made no mistake against Onyango, who had an off-day.

Mutizwa doubled-up in the 71st minute, making sure that Arrows sealed the deal and kept their unbeaten run at home this season when he converted from the penalty spot.

Downs did pull one back though Andile Jali, who netted his maiden goal for Masandawana, creating a nervy finish but Arrows held their nerve and managed to see through their win.