Golden Arrows are in line for the MTN8’s nest egg when they qualified for the final of the R8-million winner-takes-all competition by beating AmaZulu 2-0 at the Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday.
It was a confident, composed night’s work for the underrated Durban team who have yet to annex a major PSL title.
As for AmaZulu, it was what might be described a bad day at the office as they gave scant indication for much of the game of scoring — let alone making up the daunting leeway.
And the proceedings after Joseph Musonda (25th minute) and Njabulo Manqana (31st minute) had imprinted their names on the goal sheet were too predictable to arouse a degree of excitement and
anticipation in the modest, but noisy crowd.
Ironically, AmaZulu started with a flourish as they attempted to make up the leeway from their 2-1 defeat in the first-leg, but once Arrows had scored with a deflected goal, the Durban derby petered out like a punctured balloon.
Arrows cruised though the second half like a boxer who had built up an insurmountable lead and was treating his opponent’s punches as though they were of the powder-puff variety — even resorting to substituting top PSL goal-scorer Richard Henyekane midway through the second half.
What is more, Arrows should have been awarded a second-half penalty which would have added to AmaZulu’s embarrassment.
AmaZulu, under new coach Neil Tovey, had made no bones about restoring a measure of former glory in this competition but quite candidly they were outplayed in both legs by a more fluid and professional combination.
Arrows, who have been one of the most attractive footballing combinations in the PSL during the last couple of years, well deserved the chance to finally bid for glory — with unassuming coach Manqoba Mngqithi deserving a fair slice of the credit for moulding the team’s methodical style of play.
The only blot on their copybook was a crunching tackle in the opening minutes by Ntlantla Zothwane which could have earned him a yellow or even a red card, but went without any serious punishment.
Accolades, however, are deserving for Arrows’ Brazilian goalkeeper Helton da Rocha, who performed faultlessly on the few occasions he was brought into action, with AmaZulu squandering a couple of gilt-edged opportunities. – Sapa