GOLDEN ARROWS VS MARITZBURG UTD | ABSA

Competition: Absa Premiership
Date: Sunday, 26 September 2009
Venue: Chatsworth Stadium
Kick-off: 15h:30

Neither side were too impressive when Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United played to a 1-1 draw at the Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon in an Absa Premiership clash.

When all looked to be lost for Maritzburg, Felix Obada scored a last minute goal to salvage a point for his side in a game that failed to impress.

The first 45 minutes was not very exciting, as the KZN derby failed to live up to expectations with neither side creating any real decent goal scoring opportunities.

The midfield was tightly contested and that is where most of the battle took place, but neither side could really gain any ascendancy in that area.

Struggling to create chances on goal, Maritzburg in particular resorted to shooting from range, with very little success.

Felix Obada, who was definitely the standout player in the half, was the first to let loose from about 25 yards out in the 14th minute. But his lacklustre shot was comfortably saved by Helton Da Rocha.

Da Rocha was called into action again in the 23rd minute, this time when Noah Chivuta tired his luck from just outside the 18-yard box, but once again the shot was poor and the keeper collected easily.

Besides from those two shots on goal there was nothing else to really write home about.

The game continued in the same vein in the second half until it was brought to life by Richard Henyekane in the 63rd minute who, against the run of play, put Arrows in front.

In a superb counter-attacking move, a beautiful long ball from the back put Henyekane one-on-one with the goalkeeper and the Bafana Bafana striker made no mistake, clinically slipping the ball past Tashrique Goldman to make it 1-0.

That livened the match up for about ten minutes before it inevitably faded back into the boring game it was before the goal was scored.

Maritzburg tried to get themselves back into the game but struggled to break down the stubborn defence of Arrows. And just as all seemed lost, Obada managed to find an equaliser for United in the last minute of regular time.

After a goal mouth scramble, the ball fell to Obada who let off a powerful shot that saw the ball find the roof of the net from only ten yards out, 1-1. That is how the game ended and t is certainly one that will not be remembered.

Teams:

Arrows (4-4-2): Da Rocha; J Henyekane, Musonda, Sangweni, Tom; S Zwane (Masinga 82’), Khuboni, Shange, Zothwane (Mabuya 74’); Gabuza (Tanoh 59’), Henyekane.

United (4-4-2): Goldman; Bageta, Ngwepe, Madidilani (Aka 79’), Hendricks; Obada, Nyatama, Chivuta, Badiane (Madondo 60’); Bester, Smith (Zimba 86’)