GOLDEN ARROWS VS PLATINUM STARS | TELKOM CUP

Competition: Telkom Charity Cup
Date: Tuesday, 13 March 2010
Venue: Chatsworth
Kick-off: 15:00

Golden Arrows move into the Telkom Knockout Cup last eight after coming from a goal down to beat Platinum Stars 2-1 at the Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

For the most part it was a game that lacked entertainment, although an action packed last 20 minutes compensated for that.

There were no goals in the first half. After Stars had gone in front through Luis Renteria, the hosts scored twice in the final six minutes through a Reuben Thebekang own goal and a header from Tshepo Mashego.

Both sides played it tight and compact in midfield early on. There was little to choose between the teams, although if anything Stars just shaded proceedings showing more purpose in attack with Henrico Botes their main point of focus.

In as early as the first minute Dinaledi striker Renteria had a decent chance on goal when he was given acres of space just inside the Arrows box, but he slammed his volley over the bar.

Some may have termed the game absorbing, though others may have preferred to tag the game ‘scrappy’ – either way chances were few and far between in the opening stanza as attacking moves fizzled out on a regular basis, either through good defending or poor option taking.

Renteria fired a 20-yard shot wide just before the break, Arrows pinged a few free kicks into the Stars box, and that was about it as far as first half goal-mouth action was concerned.

Renteria enjoyed the first chance of the second half, but volleyed over the bar in the 55th minute.

Abafaba Bes’thende had their best opportunity of the match three minutes later, but following a free-flowing move, Thokozani Mshengu was unable to apply the icing to the cake as he shot straight at Stars keeper Tapuwa Kapini.

Soon after Kapini was forced into making a far more difficult save as he dived full length to keep out Vusimusi Vilakazi’s goal-bound effort.

Action continued to heat up and Stars nearly caught the KZN side out on the break in the 64th minute, however, Arrows keeper Helton Da Rocha made a superb save from Raymond Senamela’s close range header.

Apart from that rare chance for the North West side, the momentum appeared to be with Arrows.

But they were made to pay the price for their ambition in attack when they were caught by a superb counter attack that saw Mzikuyise Mashaba squaring the ball for Renteria, who controlled well before firing into the roof of the net after 70 minutes.

Stars looked like they had enough in them to hold out for the win, but six minutes from time Reuben Thebekang, with Thamsanqa Gabuza breathing down his neck, had the misfortune of heading the ball into his own net.

And buoyed by their comeback, Arrows again poured forward and sealed the winner just two minutes later when Tshepo Mashego emphatically buried a header to send the Durban side through to the quarter-finals.

The Tycoons’ misery was compounded in injury time when Almiro Lobo was sent for an early shower after picking up a second booking.

Golden Arrows (0) 2 (Thebekang 84 o.g, Mashego 86’)
Platinum Stars (0) 1 (Renteria 71’)

Teams

Arrows: Da Rocha; Zwane, Masinga, Mvalo, Tom; Vilakazi (Gabuza 73’), Musonda, Zothwane, Mshengu (Pela 89’); Mashego, Bengu (Manqana 56’)

Stars: Kapini; Makalipa, Seneo, Mabizela, Thebekang; Molongoane, Senamela (Coetzee 90’), Lobo, Mashaba; Renteria, Botes