Lamontville Golden Arrows recorded their first win in the 2012/13 Absa Premiership season when they defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening.
Thanduyise Khuboni scored the only goal of the match from the penalty spot in injury time to hand the Brazilians their third straight league defeat.
The rain fell throughout the match but both sides adjusted well to the wet conditions, although it was the visitors who held more ball possession and asked most of the questions in the first half.
The first chance of the match fell for Emmanuel Baffour when he was released by Punch Masenamela on the left after the home side had lost the ball in their own half, but the Ghanaian fired wide of the far post.
Sundowns continued to spend time in the Arrows half but it was Arrows who had the next chance in the 16th minute through a mistake from Clayton Daniels, as his backpass almost fell for Thamsanqa Gabuza, but Wayne Sandilands came out of his line to block his effort.
Two minutes later Arrows goalkeeper made a similar error as he cleared the ball straight to Anthony Laffor on the right, but the he was saved by countryman Ritus Krjauklis, who managed to block the Liberian’s shot.
Then in the 20th minute Arrows almost got a goal out of nothing when Abel Mabaso cleared a throw-in straight into the path of Ntlantla Zothwane inside the penalty area, but his volleyed shot flew wide of the upright.
Themba Zwane then had two great chances to put his side ahead as he connected with a cross from Samuel Julies in the 23rd minute, but his effort was blocked by Krjauklis, while he also sent another chance wide a minute later.
Johan Neeskens’ men continued to mesmerize Arrows with their quick passing and in the 30th minute Zwane, Baffour and Julies connected well on the left, but the latter shot over the crossbar from just inside the penalty area.
Then four minutes later Gabuza came closest to opening the scoring when he peeled away from the defenders to connect with a low cross from Siyanda Zwane, but his effort grazed the top right corner.
Baffour should’ve done better on the stroke of half time when he was picked out by a cross from Laffor, but his headed effort lacked pace and direction and Steinbors was able to hold on with ease to keep the scores level going into the break.
The second half proved to be a more entertaining affair as both sides went in search of the opening goal, but both sets of defence proved to be alert when it mattered most.
Arrows threatened eight minutes after the break through Mapolisa who cut in from the left to beat Abel Mabaso, but his shot was deflected over the crossbar, while Zothwane forced a save from Sandilands with a near-post header from the resulting corner.
Then in the 56th minute Themba Zwane continued to trouble the Arrows defence as he cut in from the left before firing a low shot on target, but Pavels got down quickly to make the stop.
Three minutes later Gabuza was almost through at the other end to latch onto a long pass, but a great tackle from Mabaso coupled with a good block from Sandilands was enough to keep him out.
The end-to-end action continued in the 66th minute when Julies dribbled past two defenders coming in from the left, but his final shot was wide of the left post, while Laffor did the same a minute later coming from the right.
The battle between Gabuza and Daniels also continued throughout the evening and in the 79th minute it was the defender who came out on top again as he put in a crucial block to deflect a goalbound shot wide.
The deadlock was finally broken in the first minute of added time as the hosts were awarded a penalty when Gabuza was brought down inside the box by a poorly-timed tackle from Tebogo Langerman.
Captain Thanduyise Khuboni took responsibility to take the spotkick and made no mistake as he sent Sandilands the wrong way to secure maximum points for Muhsin Ertugral’s side.
Lamontville Golden Arrows (0) 1 (Khuboni 90 +1’, pen)
Mamelodi Sundowns 0
The Guardian 