Sekhukhune United scored a late winner to defeat Golden Arrows 1-0 in a DStv Premiership clash at the Mpumalanga Stadium on Wednesday evening.
.gif)
Elias Mokwana struck in the 90th minute to see Babina Noko claim a fifth win from their last seven league matches and rise to eighth place on the log.
𝐅𝐓 | 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 0️⃣-1️⃣ 𝐒𝐞𝐤𝐡𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) February 28, 2024
Elias Mokwana strikes late to hand Arrows a ninth #DStvPrem loss on the spin ❌ pic.twitter.com/CqlqAbZ6a0
One of the teams they have leapfrogged is Abafana Bes’thende, who have now lost eight of their last nine league outings and drop to 10th on the table.
Arrows got out of the blocks quickly and created early chances for Angelo Van Rooi, Knox Mutizwa and Siyanda Mthanti – none of which troubled Sekhukhune goalkeeper Badra Sangare.
The visitors then had the first shot on target in the eighth minute, as Nyiko Mobbie drove an attempt from outside the box which forced a save from Arrows goalkeeper Sifiso Mlungwana.
The hosts made a tactical change just before the half-hour mark, with Nhlanhla Zwane withdrawn in favour of Nduduzo Sibiya.
And the substitute should have opened the scoring on 34 minutes, when he picked up a loose ball just outside the penalty area and had only the ‘keeper to beat, but fired a low effort wide of the mark.
WINNER AT THE DEATH
That chance, the best of the first half, proved to be the last before the interval, as the teams went into the break locked at 0-0.
Sekhukhune started the second half strongly and Chibuike Ohizu threatened a goal on 50 minutes when he cracked a left-footed shot from the edge of the box, but Mlungwana was on hand to turn the ball away for a corner kick.
Shortly thereafter Vuzumuzi Mncube whipped a fine shot direct from a free kick which flashed narrowly wide – Mlungwana was left standing and would have got nowhere near had it been on target.
Babina Noko continued to look the better team through the second half and looked to shuffle their pack with substitutions.
One of the replacements, Michael Sarpong, almost broke the deadlock on 78 minutes when he fired a low shot across the face of goal seconds after coming onto the pitch.
The match looked set to end in a stalemate, but Sekhukhune claimed a deserved goal in the final minute of regulation time when Daniel Cardoso’s hopeful ball into the box found its way to Elias Mokwana, who provided a composed finish to secure the victory for the visitors.
FULL TIME ..‼️
— Sekhukhune United F.C. (@SekhukhuneFc) February 28, 2024
⏰9⃣0⃣+3⃣
Well done Lads👏👏👏@goldenarrowsfc1 0⃣-1⃣ Sekhukhune United#Adibahlabe #DstvPrem pic.twitter.com/Mj4cSrZhPG
Arrows will return to Premiership action on 5 March when they face Kaizer Chiefs away from home, while Sekhukhune will host Royal AM the following day.
Golden Arrows 0
Sekhukhune United (0) 1 (Mokwana 90’)
Arrows: Mlungwana, Lukhele (Mhlongo 90+3’), Shitolo, Mwengani, Cele (Ncube 90+3’), Dlamini (Hlatshwayo 90+3’), Zwane (Sibiya 29’), Mthanti, Sibeko (Libamba 55’), Van Rooi, Mutizwa
Sekhukhune: Sangare, Mobbie, Yamba, Cardoso, Tiwani, Mkhize, Mokotjo (Mtshali 77’), Mokwana (Mohamme 90+4’), Mncube (Masiya 65’), Mntambo (Webber 65’), Ohizu (Sarpong 77’)