Golden Arrows have dealt Mamelodi Sundowns a major blow in the teams’ MTN8 semifinal tie, claiming a 1-0 away win in the first-leg match, played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Tshwane on Sunday afternoon.
Abafana Bes’thende secured the upset victory thanks to a first-half strike from Sede Junior Dion, while the Brazilians will look back in frustration at having dominated most aspects of the game, but they were let down by their execution in the final third of the field.
Sundowns established control of the game from early on, and should have claimed the lead in the 11th minute when Cassius Mailula set up Lebo Mothiba with a one-on-one chance, but Arrows goalkeeper Edward Maova made a brave save at the forward’s feet.
In fact, the ‘keeper required medical treatment and was ultimately substituted by Thakasani Mbanjwa in the 18th minute.
Mothiba soon missed another chance, heading wide from a left-wing cross, before Arrows had their first chance of the game midway through the first half, as Nhlanhla Gasa screwed a drive off target after good set up play from Sabelo Sithole.
Abafana Bes’thende then claimed the lead against the run of play in the 38th minute, with a simple move unpicking Sundowns’ defence. Right-back Khulekani Shezi played a superbly-weighted pass for Sede Junior Dion, who crisply finished with a low shot through the legs of goalkeeper Ricardo Goss for 1-0.
The Brazilians looked for an equaliser before the interval, but their best chance was a long-range curler from Bennet Mokoena which was well saved by Mbanjwa in injury time.
The hosts used four substitutions within the opening 10 minutes of the second half, throwing on Brayan Leon, Tashreeq Matthews, Sphelele Mkhulise and Nuno Santos in an effort to turn the match in their favour.
In the 70th minute they nearly drew level via Kegan Johannes, who glanced a header on target from a corner kick, but he was denied by another excellent save from the replacement goalkeeper.
The Sundowns defender had another header from a corner kick in the dying stages of regulation time, but put his effort over the crossbar. The hosts then pushed and probed through more than four minutes of injury time, but no equaliser materialised.
The teams will be back in Betway Premiership action this coming Wednesday, 26 August (Sundowns at home to AmaZulu FC, and Arrows hosting Stellenbosch FC), before meeting for the return leg of this semifinal tie, set for the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday 30 August.
Mamelodi Sundowns 0
Golden Arrows (1) 1 (Dion 38’)
Sundowns: Goss, Mdunyelwa, Johannes, Khoza, Modiba, Ndlovu (Morena 62’), Allende, Aubaas (Mkhulise 56’), B. Mokoena (Matthews 46’), Mailula (Santos 56’), Mothiba (Leon 46’)
Arrows: Maova (Mbanjwa 18’), Shezi, Agnikoi, Mabaso (Mantshiyane 46’), Maluleke, Dlamini, Maxele, Zwane, Gasa (Van Rooi 76’), Sithole (P. Khumalo 62’), Dion (T. Khumalo 62’)
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