SANTOS VS GOLDEN ARROWS | ABSA

Competition: Absa Premiership
Date: Sunday, 12 December 2009
Venue: Coetzenburg
Kick-off: 20h00

Santos showed commendable fighting spirit to score an injury time equaliser at the Coetzenburg Stadium on Saturday night as they drew 1-1 with Golden Arrows.

The Cape side had the better and more frequent chances on the night and can certainly deserved at least earned a point after Richard Henyekane struck with a rather lucky goal just after the break.

Blustery conditions meant that it took both sides time to settle into any sort of pattern and early play was characterised by over-hit passes from both teams.

The closest either side came to a goal early on was when Bafo Biyela’s well-struck free kick in the 25th minute flew just over the bar.

Santos’ first real chance came three minutes later and nearly resulted in a goal as Tyren Arendse tried to bundle home Thabiso Ntloana’s cross, only to see the ball cleared off the line.

Another decent chance soon followed for the Cape side as Eleazar Rodgers broke free down the right, but his pass towards an unmarked Phikolethu Spelman was too powerfully struck and the opportunity went a-begging.

An excellent build up from the Peoples’ Team in the 40th minute nearly provided the opening goal of the game – after a string of passes, Arendse cleverly chipped the ball into Graham King’s path, but the diminutive winger sent his header just wide of goal.

Another clear-cut chance followed in the 43rd minute as King’s chip gave Spelman a clean run in on goal, but his finish left a lot to be desired as the ball flashed over goal from only 14-yards out.

Just before the break there was a rare chance for Abafana Bes’thende to break the deadlock, but Lindokuhle Bengu’s 25-yard was pulled just wide of goal.

After the restart the game again became scrappy and disjointed.

However, the opening goal finally materialised when Richard Henyekane’s free kick took a somewhat fortunate deflection and left Santos keeper Tshepo Motsoeneng stranded.

The Cape side looked to try and bounce back and applied some serious aerial pressure, but apart from Rodgers’ header which went a metre over the bar, the Abafana Bes’thende defence dealt comfortably with whatever was thrown at them.

King then attempted to restore parity to the game in the 73rd minute, but his angled shot from just outside the area fizzed past the right hand upright.

Santos continued to thrown caution to the wind and they nearly grabbed a spectacular equaliser when goal keeper Motsoeneng had a go from all of 70 metres out. His effort would have crept in just under the bar, but Arrows keeper Thulasizwe Khuzwayo was able to get back just in time to push the ball over the bar.

Santos however refused to accept defeat and they finally got the goal they deserved deep inside injury time when Orlin Powell turned home the ball from close range after a goal mouth scramble.

Santos: (4-4-2) Motsoeneng; Ntloana, W Arendse, Gabonamong, Skippers; Chapman (Scott 61’), Van Beulen (Otieno 65’), T Arendse, King; Spelman (Powell 75’), Rodgers

Arrows: (4-5-1) Khuzwayo; Zwane (Masinga 53’), Musonda, Mvalo, Tom; Bengu (Mashego 87’), Biyela, Bilankulu, Khuboni, Manqanya (Gabuza 67’); Henyekane