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Polokwane - With his job on the line, Golden Arrows coach Ernst Middendorp, knew nothing but a win would suffice for his team tonight or he would be walking out the door of the KZN club.
But his team did not disappoint as they upset Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in an Absa Premiership match played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday night.
With a poor string of results Middendorp looked certain to be fired if Arrows did not win on the night and the man who led them on their way to victory was veteran striker and form Amakhosi man, Collins Mbesuma, scoring his 59th goal in his PSL career to hand the Durban club the lead.
Arrows, despite being away from home, settled quickly and soon found their passing rhythm on a beautiful playing surface. Their interchanges were swift, accurate and direct.
But that was not what led to their first goal in the 13th minute. Instead, the poaching instinct of Mbesuma gave them the opening goal.
Dillon Sheppard fired a stinging drive towards goal and after Itumeleng Khune made good save low down to his left, who else was there to pounce on the loose ball than Mbesuma tucking the ball home with the deftest of touches, 1-0.
Chiefs were not really in the game in the first half. While they may have had dominant passages of play, they were unable to create any clear-cut chances on goal. In fact, their only effort in the first half came in the 22nd minute from their central defender Tefu Mashamaite.
Mashamaite tried an outrageous attempt on goal from the half way line which almost caught Helton Da Rocha sleeping, but he was quick enough to react to the danger diving backwards, at full stretch, to tip the effort over the crossbar.
Shortly after that, however, a well taken corner-kick saw Arrows double their lead.
Sheppard was the man to deliver the ball into the box and Musa Bilankulu was the quickest to take action getting his head to the ball at the front post and flicking it into the goal, 2-0, giving Arrows the ascendancy at the break.
The second half saw chiefs come out a rejuvenated side, largely thanks to a second half substitute by Vladimir Vermezovic which saw George Lebese on in place of Josta Dladla.
And the change made an immediate effect as Lebese found the back of the net for Amakhosi seven minutes after the restart. The Chiefs substitute latched onto a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box and powerfully drove it home, giving Da Rocha no chance, 2-1.
Following the game’s third goal Arrows sat back in defence and looked determined to defend their slender lead. It was a risky move, one that nearly cost them in the final minute of the match when the referee wrongly adjudged Thanduyise Khuboni to have handled the ball inside the box and pointed to the penalty spot.
Lebese, hoping to be the hero for the Amakhosi, stepped up but he shot wide of the target, some sweet justice in the grand scheme of things for Middendorp’s men.
The game finished 2-1 in favour of Arrows who ended Chiefs' 100 percent winning record at home.
Scorers:
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Lebese 52’)
Golden Arrows (2) 2 (Mbesuma 13’, Bilankulu 26’)
Teams:
Kaizer Chiefs: Khune; Tau, Mashamaite, Sweswe, Jambo, Dladla (Lebese 46’), Nengomasha, Letsholonyane, Tshabalala, Parker (Baloyi 77’), Majoro (Ngcobo 65’)
Golden Arrows: Da Rocha; Musonda, Bilankulu, Johannes, Tom, Shange (Mkhize 58’), Khuboni, Nene, Sheppard, Nkosi (Gabuza 70’), Mbesuma (Mashego 85’)
But his team did not disappoint as they upset Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in an Absa Premiership match played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday night.
With a poor string of results Middendorp looked certain to be fired if Arrows did not win on the night and the man who led them on their way to victory was veteran striker and form Amakhosi man, Collins Mbesuma, scoring his 59th goal in his PSL career to hand the Durban club the lead.
Arrows, despite being away from home, settled quickly and soon found their passing rhythm on a beautiful playing surface. Their interchanges were swift, accurate and direct.
But that was not what led to their first goal in the 13th minute. Instead, the poaching instinct of Mbesuma gave them the opening goal.
Dillon Sheppard fired a stinging drive towards goal and after Itumeleng Khune made good save low down to his left, who else was there to pounce on the loose ball than Mbesuma tucking the ball home with the deftest of touches, 1-0.
Chiefs were not really in the game in the first half. While they may have had dominant passages of play, they were unable to create any clear-cut chances on goal. In fact, their only effort in the first half came in the 22nd minute from their central defender Tefu Mashamaite.
Mashamaite tried an outrageous attempt on goal from the half way line which almost caught Helton Da Rocha sleeping, but he was quick enough to react to the danger diving backwards, at full stretch, to tip the effort over the crossbar.
Shortly after that, however, a well taken corner-kick saw Arrows double their lead.
Sheppard was the man to deliver the ball into the box and Musa Bilankulu was the quickest to take action getting his head to the ball at the front post and flicking it into the goal, 2-0, giving Arrows the ascendancy at the break.
The second half saw chiefs come out a rejuvenated side, largely thanks to a second half substitute by Vladimir Vermezovic which saw George Lebese on in place of Josta Dladla.
And the change made an immediate effect as Lebese found the back of the net for Amakhosi seven minutes after the restart. The Chiefs substitute latched onto a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box and powerfully drove it home, giving Da Rocha no chance, 2-1.
Following the game’s third goal Arrows sat back in defence and looked determined to defend their slender lead. It was a risky move, one that nearly cost them in the final minute of the match when the referee wrongly adjudged Thanduyise Khuboni to have handled the ball inside the box and pointed to the penalty spot.
Lebese, hoping to be the hero for the Amakhosi, stepped up but he shot wide of the target, some sweet justice in the grand scheme of things for Middendorp’s men.
The game finished 2-1 in favour of Arrows who ended Chiefs' 100 percent winning record at home.
Scorers:
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Lebese 52’)
Golden Arrows (2) 2 (Mbesuma 13’, Bilankulu 26’)
Teams:
Kaizer Chiefs: Khune; Tau, Mashamaite, Sweswe, Jambo, Dladla (Lebese 46’), Nengomasha, Letsholonyane, Tshabalala, Parker (Baloyi 77’), Majoro (Ngcobo 65’)
Golden Arrows: Da Rocha; Musonda, Bilankulu, Johannes, Tom, Shange (Mkhize 58’), Khuboni, Nene, Sheppard, Nkosi (Gabuza 70’), Mbesuma (Mashego 85’)
