Lamontville Golden Arrows began their 2010/11 Absa Premiership campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs at the Rand Stadium on Saturday night.

It was a brave performance from Abafana Bes'thende, but they were ultimately undone by a neat piece of skill from Valarey Nahayo that saw him open the scoring, and a bewildering penalty award that allowed Siphiwe Tshabalala to net a second.

Coach Zoran Filipovic took his competitive bow with the team and said afterwards that he was “satisfied” with his side's display.

“The first goal was our mistake, but the second goal killed us, I don't know why the referee gave the penalty,” Filipovic said after the game. “But I am proud of my players, we controlled the game at times. I tried to get some players to be more offensive in the last 20 minutes, but Kaizer Chiefs are a very good team and congratulations to them.”

Bafana Bafana winger Tshabalala unleashed a stunning drive early on that flashed wide of Helton da Rocha's goal, while the visitors thought they had a penalty when Philani Shange looked to be brought down by Dominic Isaacs, but referee Abdul Ebrahim waved play-on.

Da Rocha made a world-class stop midway through the first period when he saved at point-blank range from Reneilwe Letsholonyane's header.

Tshabalala flashed over again from the edge of the box just after halftime, but the home side were ahead on 50 minutes.

Mandla Masango crossed from the right and the Burundian defender Nahayo stole in between the defenders to flick the ball past a helpless Da Rocha.

Seconds later and Abia Nale almost made it to as he stabbed a ball goalwards, only for Musa Bilankulu to clear off the line with Da Rocha beaten.

It was 2-0 to Chiefs soon afterwards in bizarre circumstances. Siyanda Zwane won a clean tackle on substitute Sthembiso Ngcobo, but to the surprise of all, referee Ebrahim pointed to the penalty-spot.

Tshabalala converted to double his side's advantage, but the Golden Arrows players were left rightly incensed.

Ngcobo hit the top of the crossbar soon afterwards, while Da Rocha pulled off another brilliant one-handed save to deny Nthokozisi Yende from the edge of the box.

It was not to be Golden Arrows' night and they now look forward to their next fixture, a home game against newly-promoted Vasco da Gama at the Chatsworth Stadium on September 8.

 

MATCH STATS
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 2 (Nahayo 50, Tshabalala 68pen)
Lamontville Golden Arrows 0

Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune, Jimmy Tau, Dominic Isaacs, Valery Nahayo, Punch Masenamela, Mandla Masango (Josta Dladla 81st), Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Nthokozisi Yende, Knowledge Musona, Abia Nale (Sthembiso Ngcobo 65th)

 

Golden Arrows: Helton Da Rocha, Siyanda Zwane, Musa Bilankulu, Joseph Musonda, Mzuvukile Tom, Philani Shange, Thanduyise Khuboni, Siyabonga Nkosi (Nkanyiso Mlotshwa 82nd), Itumeleng Duiker (Sphesihle Nzimande 73rd), Njabulo Manqana, Songwe Chalwe (Thamsanqa Gabuza 62nd)