Sharp-shooting Arrows pierce their way to top 3
GOLDEN Arrows are proving they are no flash in the pan this season. The Durban outfit produced another classy performance yesterday to blitz Stellenbosch FC 3-1 at the Danie Craven Stadium.
The victory catapulted Arrows into third position on the DStv Premiership log ahead of Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows.
Abafana Bes'thende had a bright start as Pule Mmodi fired them ahead early on with a curling shot into the far post after a mistake by Sibusiso Mthethwa sent him clear on goal inside the box.
Arrows looked threatening every time they spread the ball to the flanks with Divine Lunga, in particular, creating havoc down the left. This almost enabled Arrows to double their lead when he cut inside before delivering a cross into the centre.
Knox Mutizwa should have buried the chance, but his strike was cleared off the line by Stellenbosch captain Robyn Johannes.
The home side needed a change to halt Arrows' raids on their goal and replaced Mthethwa with pacey striker Leletu Skelem in defence.
The change allowed Stellenbosch to play with more fluidity, but the hosts were caught on the counter-attack by Michael Gumede, who doubled Arrows’s lead with a low strike inside the six-yard box.
Stellies pulled a goal back through an excellent shot from the edge of the box by Argentine Junior Mendietta, but it proved to be a consolation after Gumede completed his brace in the final quarter to restore Arrows' twogoal cushion.
In Pietermaritzburg, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila’s Thabo Mnyamane scored the only goal of the game from a free kick to consign Maritzburg United to a fourth consecutive league defeat at the Harry Gwala Stadium last night.
The defeat for Ernst Middendorp’s side could see them drop to last place in the league, if fellow strugglers Black Leopards get a point against Baroka FC today.
Despite going down, Maritzburg dominated possession and Thabiso Kutumela was unlucky in the 42nd minute when his shot struck the underside of the bar and stayed out. The result was Maritzburg’s fourth consecutive loss against a Limpopo side.
Kutumela was enterprising throughout the game, probing the Tshakhuma defence which held firm.
In the second half Maritzburg made a triple change as Jose Ali Meza, Riyaz Ismail, and Phiwayinkosi Zuma went on, but they failed to beat Tshakhuma ’keeper Washington Arubi.
The win for TTM would have been a much-needed confidence boost for them and their new coach Dylan Kerr, who coaches his third team this season after having been sacked by Baroka FC and Black Leopards.
Next up for the Team of Choice is a Nedbank Cup Round of 16 clash against Orlando Pirates at the Harry Gwala Stadium in two weeks before another bottom-of-the-table clash against Leopards.