The Mercury

Golden Arrows will check their DNA in Pirates encounter, says Komphela

- SMISO MSOMI smiso.msomi@inl.co.za

A GOLDEN Arrows outfit bound for their most difficult test yet this year are expected to keep carrying the torch for KwaZulu-Natal ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.

Abafana Bes’thende continued their resurrecti­on under head coach Steve Komphela as they fought back from two goals down to earn a point against SuperSport United on Wednesday.

Having been tipped to plummet from the top eight following their 11-game losing streak, Arrows have found a new lease of life under the streetwise Komphela, and look every bit the side that surged to second place in the early stages of the season.

Since taking over, Komphela has collected seven out of an available nine points in the league, with two wins and a draw.

The Durban club kept their topeight aspiration­s alive and now sit in ninth place, but just on goal difference, having moved level on points with Kaizer Chiefs in eighth spot.

After beating Polokwane City, Richards Bay and drawing against Matsatsant­sa, the former Mamelodi Sundowns mentor will lead Arrows against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium tomorrow (5.30pm kickoff).

However, despite his influence, the 56-year-old Komphela has elected to not attribute Arrows’ run of good fortune purely to his arrival at the club, but revealed that he is thrilled to be a part of Arrows’ plans.

“Golden Arrows going to Orlando Pirates is the club going there (not Komphela). We’re going to check our DNA, our template and our process against the best available in the country and play the Golden Arrows way.”

On the other side of KZN, Royal AM are struggling to get their groove going, and were humbled by a three-goal margin by TS Galaxy on Wednesday.

Although with an 11-point buffer to Richards Bay in 15th spot and with a game in hand, Royal AM are just a place above the relegation zone, a position that will trouble head coach John Maduka.

Thwihli Thwahla might be buoyed by the prospect of facing Polokwane City at home on Sunday (3pm), but they will be wary of the danger posed by Rise and Shine.

AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin has seen doubts creep into his set-up in recent weeks, with their recent form taking them to 12th place in the standings.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Spanish-born coach as CAF qualificat­ion-chasing Cape Town City visit Durban on Sunday (3pm).

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