Polokwane - Two goals in the space of eight minutes in the second period has lifted Golden Arrows to a 2-1 victory over Polokwane City in a PSL clash at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday.
Going to the break locked at 0-0 in a dour affair, the visitors sparked to life just after the hour mark through Philani Shange who scored the first goal.
His surging run down the left revealed a visibly fragile City defence, and his sojourn into the area was unhindered before he rammed the ball home to strike first for his side.
Eight minutes later, Arrows doubled their lead when they were awarded a penalty as Thanduyise Khuboni added the second score for a 2-0 scoreline.
The penalties were not over though, as referee Victor Gomes awarded a second, but on this occasion for the home side in the 80th minute. Moffat Mdluli made no mistake to make it 2-1.
City chased the game in the final 10 minutes, but were ultimately unrewarded for their efforts.
For Arrows it was their first win of the new season in their fourth game, while City remain firmly routed to the foot of the table without a single point from their four league outings.
Earlier, the hosts made a bright start as Mothusi Gopane, Mdluli and Kagiso Senamela had chances go narrowly wide.
But Arrows found the going slightly tougher, as Polokwane shut their visitors out for much of the half.
City threatened towards the end of the half, but Esau Kanyenda failed to make his chances pay, spraying his tame effort wide of the mark.
Seconds later, Kanyenda was in with another opportunity, but his acrobatic effort wasn't enough to test Arrows goalkeeper Siya Mngoma.
Arrows opened the scoring through a the Shange goal in the 61st minute.
Shange exposed the Polokwane defence as he made a run into the left hand side of the box before slotting the ball into the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead for Arrows.
Gomes awarded a penalty to Arrows six minutes later as Shange went to ground in the City area.
In the 69th minute, Khuboni stepped up to convert from the spot to find the left side of the net and give his side a 2-0 lead.
In the 79th minute, a second penalty was awarded but on this occasion for the hosts.
Within a minute City pulled a goal back as Mdluli was clinical from the spot to make it 2-1.
Scores:
Polokwane City - (0) 1 (Hlela 80’pen)
Golden Arrows - (0) 2 (Shange 62’, Khuboni 70’pen)
Teams:
Polokwane City: Marumo, Molekwane, Hlela, Mkhabela, Tshilo, Mdluli, Nzimande (Hlongwa 58’ [Tlolane 83’]), Sali (Moloi 70’), Kanyenda, Senamela, Gopane
Golden Arrows: Mngoma, Tom, Zwane, Bester, Khuboni, Shange (Wadabwa 75’), Ntombayithethi, Qalanto (Ntuli 72’), Sithole, Nene, Nguzana (Smith 57’)