Lungelo Nguse of Lamontville Golden Arrows takes on the TS Galaxy defence during their Betway Premiership clash against Sekhukhune United at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Sunday. Sabelo Sithole came off the bench to snatch a late winner, as Golden Arrows claimed a hard-fought victory over Sekhukhune United in their Betway Premiership clash at King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi on Sunday afternoon.
With the match seemingly drifting towards a stalemate, Sithole struck with under 10 minutes remaining, rifling his effort past Renaldo Leaner to secure a rare 1-0 home win for Abafana Bes’thende and keep their Top 8 hopes alive. Arrows dominated large spells of the contest, controlling possession and territory, with youngster Nhlanhla Gasa showing confidence following his midweek goal against Stellenbosch FC.
Arrows Dominate but Struggle to Find Fluency
Lungelo Nguse had the best opening of the first half but could only find the side-netting when a square pass looked the better option. Both sides struggled to find fluency in the final third. Sekhukhune, in particular, were limited to long-range efforts that failed to trouble goalkeeper Edward Maova, while their attacking options were further reduced when veteran striker Bradley Grobler was stretchered off inside the opening 20 minutes. Debutant Olerato Mandi was introduced in his place.
At the back, Arrows skipper Ayanda Jiyane produced a composed display, cutting out any potential threats as the hosts remained largely in control. Nguse spurned another chance early in the second half, firing over the bar, before Maova produced a superb save to deny Matlala Makgalwa on the counter. The game began to open up, with Nguse later seeing a snap shot blocked.
Substitutes Make the Difference
Arrows introduced top scorer Junior Dion in the 64th minute, and he nearly made an immediate impact but failed to guide a corner on target. However, it was fellow substitute Sithole who proved decisive, delivering a clinical finish late on to finally break the deadlock and hand Arrows a deserved three points. As explained on the Premier Soccer League website, the win keeps Arrows in the running for a top-eight finish.
Here are the key stats from the match:
- Arrows had 55% possession throughout the game
- Sekhukhune had 10 shots on goal, but only 2 were on target
- Arrows had 15 shots on goal, with 5 being on target
The win is a significant boost for Arrows, who will look to build on this momentum in their upcoming matches. For more information on the team and their schedule, visit the Lamontville Golden Arrows Wikipedia page.
