GOLDEN ARROWS VS MARITZBURG UTD | ABSA

Competition: PSL
Date: Sunday, 24November 2013
Venue: King ZwelithiniStadium
Kick-off: 15h30

Lamontville Golden Arrows have won the spoils in the KwaZulu-Natal Derby after a 2-1 Absa Premiership victory over Maritzburg United at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The victory moves Abafana Bes’thende up to 10 points, level with Bloemfontein Celtic in 11th place in the table.

A penalty from Thanduyise Khuboni and another strike from Bongi Nkosi sealed the points for Mark Harrison’s men, their second win in three league matches.

Ayanda Nkosi ensured a tense finish when he netted for Maritzburg, but Arrows held on for the win they so richly deserved.

The home side might have been ahead inside the opening two minutes when Vuyisile Ntombayithethi launched a thunderous drive against the upright that bounced away to safety.

Former Arrows player Thamsanqa Mkhize headed over from Ruben Cloete’s cross soon afterwards in what was a bright opening to the game.

The home side began to then assert some control and Shu-Aib Walters in the Maritzburg goal had to be smart to tip over Philane Shange’s free-kick, with the keeper then denying the same player again just before halftime.

After Ntuli had flashed a shot across goal and wide, there was a scare for Arrows when Frank Sarfo-Gyamfi saw his shot cleared off the line by veteran defender Joseph Musonda.

The home team were awarded a penalty when Michael Morton felled Dumisani Zwane in the box and skipper Khuboni stepped up to score from the penalty spot on 62 minutes.

And it was 2-0 four minutes later as Ntuli rifled home a shot into the corner of the goal, another fantastic strike from the forward.

Maritzburg narrowed the deficit when Nkosi turned home Mohammad Awal’s cross with 19 minutes remaining, but they could not find an equalizer.

Next up for Arrows is a home meeting with Platinum Stars on November 30.

MATCH STATS
Lamontville Golden Arrows (0) 2 (Khuboni 62’pen, Ntuli 66’)
Maritzburg United (0) 1 (Nkosi 71’)

Golden Arrows XI: Mngoma, Tom, Musonda, D Zwane (Mlotshwa 89’), Shange, Ntombayithethi, Cele (Zothwane 69’), Sithole, Nene, Khuboni, Ntuli (Wadabwa 85’).

Maritzburg XI: Walters, Petersen, Booysen M, Awal, Cloete, Mkhize, Morton, Sheppard (Nkosi 68’), Sarfo-Gyamfi (Smeekes 79’), Buckley (Mandaza 69’), Sekotlong.