CLERMONT – Lamontville Golden Arrows made it two out of two in dramatic fashion at home on Saturday as they swept past Chippa United in a Premiership tussle at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont.
Abafana Bes’thende triumphed 2-1 to collect the maximum points.
It was their second victory in their own territory, having beaten Maritzburg United in their first outing.
Knox Mutizwa was the hero of the day with his last-gasp strike in stoppage time.
Arrows opened their account as early as the first minute, when Nduduzo Sibiya netted the opener with a stunner.
He played a quick one-two with Ntsako Makhubela on the left-hand side before finishing with aplomb.
The home side dominated the first stanza, but didn’t create any meaningful chances to turn their possession into goals.
Sibiya was causing all sorts of havoc for Arrows, and almost doubled his side’s lead in the 37th minute, but ballooned his shot over the bar.
It was a well timed cut-back by Siyabonga Dube on the right-hand side.
The Chilli Boys were looking to play on transition. Clinton Larsen introduced Thabo Rakhale and William Twala immediately after the interval, sacrificing Andile Mbenyane and Masheck Maphungule.
Twala and Rakhale were brought in to pile on more pressure from the wide areas, and they made an instant impact.
Kurt Lentjies came close to restore parity for the Chilli Boys with a bullet from distance, but his attempt sailed wide.
Boikanyo Komane levelled matters in Clermont from a penalty in the 79th minute, after Dube handled the ball in the box.
Komane converted the spot-kick with ease as Chippa equalised, with Rakhale the one that instigated the penalty.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/goldenarrowsfc1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@goldenarrowsfc1Siyabonga Dube #AbsaPrem pic.twitter.com/mDR1m6JsYz
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL)
Knox Mutizwa fluffed a glorious opportunity to put the game to bed in the dying minutes when he received a telling pass from Danny Venter.
All that was left for Mutizwa was to find the back of the net, but the Zimbabwean had other ideas as he ballooned the ball over the bar, and Chippa survived.
Mutizwa saved his team’s blushes, though, in the last minute with the winner.
Divine Lunga delivered a quality ball into the box, and Mutizwa rose the highest.
After his attempt hit the post, the ball hit the post and came back to him. Mutizwa just passed it into the net to snatch the winner at the death for Abafana Bes’thende.
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