Magesi upset Arrows for first Betway Premiership win

Magesi FC recorded their first Betway Premiership win by upsetting Golden Arrows 1-0 at the Mpumalanga Stadium, in a match which was played across Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon.

Newly promoted Dikwena tsa Meetse lost their two top-flight league openers, against Polokwane City and Sekhukhune United, earlier this month but a late strike from Wonderboy Makhubu secured all three points in this clash. That took away the chance for Abafana Bes’thende (who had won their first two matches against Stellenbosch FC and Marumo Gallants) to end the midweek round on top of the log.

The first 86 minutes of the match were played on Wednesday evening before a power failure forced the abandonment of the fixture. The match resumed at midday on Thursday, with only the remaining minutes and injury time played, as per the PSL regulations.

Arrows made the early running and had two notable chances inside the opening 20 minutes, with Lungelo Nguse sending an acrobatic volley just off target, and Nduduzo Sibiya firing a shot just over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Gallants found their own attacking rhythm around the midway point of the first half and had a great chance to open the scoring via Motsie Matima, but the midfielder put his diving header wide of the mark.

The teams cancelled each other out for the remainder of the first 45 minutes, with the interval seeing them locked at 0-0.

The second stanza continued in a similar vein, with the hosts blinking first when they introduced Menzi Masuku and Kagiso Malinga off the bench.

The latter had a sight of goal on 72 minutes, but an awkward bounce just before he connected with the strike took all the sting out of the effort and made life easy for Magesi goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.

The match appeared headed for a goalless stalemate, but Magesi’s Makhubu broke the deadlock in the 79th minute to put the visitors ahead. The forward saw his initial effort blocked in a busy penalty area, but the rebound came back his way and he was able to find the net with a second attempt.

Seven minutes later the lights went out, forcing the game to be put on hold until Thursday. Upon resumption, Arrows thought they had netted an equaliser in the 90th minute, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Chipezeze.

Dikwena hung on through the remaining time to secure their first-ever top-flight league win.

The teams will return to Premiership action on Saturday, 28 September, with Arrows away to Sekhukhune United and Magesi at home to Royal AM.

Golden Arrows 0

Magesi FC (1) 1 (Makhubu 79’)

Arrows: Maova, Phillips, Shitolo, Nxadi, S. Cele, Zwane (Masuku 65’), Zuke (Dube 78’), Sibiya (Theron 78’), Ncube (B. Cele 78’), Nguse (Malinga 65’), Mutizwa

Magesi: Chipezeze, Abrahams, Buthelezi (Njoti 78’), L. Mokone, J. Mokone, Matima, Mekoa, Mashigo, Kakora (Mokhele 78’), Sekgota, Makhubu