GOLDEN ARROWS VS MAMELODI SUNDOWNS | ABSA

Competition: PSL
Date: Saturday, 15 September 2012
Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Kick-off: 18:00pm

Lamontville Golden Arrows secured an excellent 1-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns to record a first win of the season in their Absa Premiership clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

The three points will be a welcome birthday present for coach Muhsin Ertugral, and were gained as Thanduyise Khuboni scored from the penalty-spot late on.

Ertugral handed a debut to Norman Smith, signed this week as a free agent. He played up front with new Bafana Bafana cap Thamsanqa Gabuza, Stanton Lewis dropping out of the squad. It was a first PSL game for Smith in almost 18 months.

Persistent rain over the last days had left the pitch heavy underfoot and it got worse almost from the start as a soft downpour got persistently harder through the first half.

It left the two teams tentative in difficult conditions but there were enough chances to have opened the scoring in the first stanza.

Sundowns had the better of the chances as Emmanuel Baffour scuffed a chance from a tight angle and a heavy first touch also let Themba Zwane down. The Brazilians had an even better chance on the half-hour mark when Baffour and Julies played a clever combination that Julies toe-poked over the top.

At the other end, Gabuza peeled off the defence to get to the end of poor cross by Siyabonga Zwane and off balanced got off a shot that shaved the Sundowns’ woodwork in the 34th minute.

The chances continued to come in the second period, new Golden Arrows signing Luyolo Mapolisa shooting over when well-placed inside the box, while at the other end Zwane forced a save out of Pavels Steinbors.

Sundowns coach Johan Neeskens then replaced the excellent Samuel Julies with Tebogo Langerman, much to the annoyance of the Brazilian fans, and that was to have a key affect late in the game.

Gabuza created a shooting chance for himself with some excellent skill on the edge of the box, but Clayton Daniels just managed to get a block in as he pulled the trigger.

Punch Masenamela should have done better when he was slipped into the box by Teko Modise on the right, but with numbers in the penalty-area, his low cross found a Golden Arrows shirt.

Esrom Nyandoro forced a comfortable save from Steinbors, but just as the game seemed to be heading for a draw, the home side were awarded a clear penalty.

Gabuza chased a long ball and was brought down from behind by Langerman. Khuboni stepped up and sent Wayne Sandilands in the Brazilians’ goal the wrong way.

Ertugral will feel some relief at tonight’s positive result and will be pleased with aspects of the team’s play. The next game is another tough one though, an away trip to Free State Stars on Wednesday, September 26.

MATCH STATS
Lamontville Golden Arrows 1
Mamelodi Sundowns 0

Golden Arrows: Steinbors, Zwane, Bilankulu, Krjauklis, Tom, Nene, Khuboni, Zothwane (Shange 70’), Mapolisa (Sekgobela 88’), Smith (Sheppard 76’), Gabuza.

Sundowns: Sandilands, Masabo, Mwanjale, Daniels, Masenamela, Nyandoro, Modise, Zwane, Julies (Langerman 71’), Laffor, Baffour (Nyatama 86’).