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Sundowns suffer shock defeat against Golden Arrows

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Pitso Mosimane (Gallo Images)
Pitso Mosimane (Gallo Images)

Cape Town - Mamelodi Sundowns suffered their second league defeat of the season when they went down 3-2 to Golden Arrows at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Sunday.

The torrential downpour meant possession was being turned over too much for either side's liking in the opening exchanges as the players adapted to the conditions.

Thapelo Morena had the first decent attempt of the game in the tenth minute. The ball was played over the top of the Arrows defence down their left-hand side with Morena running on to the ball and bringing a decent save out of Edmore Sibanda with his feet from an acute angle.

Lyle Lakay was looking a threat from dead-ball situations and came close from two successive corners but Sibanda did well on both occasions, scrambling to tip the ball over the bar in the gale-force wind.

In the 36th minute, Arrows had a rare spell of possession in the Sundowns final third and produced some neat interplay with Lindokuhle Mtshali backheeling the ball in to the path of Knox Mutizwa, who had plenty of space just inside the box but drilled his effort just wide of the right-hand upright.

The Brazilians deservedly took the lead in the 40th minute. Tebogo Langerman got himself free down the left-hand side on the overlap and squared the ball back in to the box for Morena, who did enough to bundle the ball over the line despite slightly mis-hitting his effort.

The introduction of Jose Ali Meza in place of Sphelele Mkhulise made Sundowns immediately look more of a threat.

But Arrows had the best chance of the second half when Mtshali's corner was headed inches over the crossbar in the 58th minute.

And disaster struck for Sundowns on the hour mark when Denis Onyango made an uncharacteristic error, allowing the ball to slip through his legs from Danny Phiri's strike and in to the back of the net.

Abafana Bes'thende took the lead in the 71st minute when Mutizwa grabbed his sixth goal of the season after running on to Divine Lunga's long ball and finishing clinically in to the bottom right-hand corner from the angle on the right-hand side.

Mutizwa had a chance to grab his brace from the penalty spot in the 80th minute after Motjeka Madisha brought Seth Parusnath down in the box and the Zimbabwean made no mistake as he sent Onyango the wrong way to give the hosts a 3-1 lead.

Sundowns midfielder Andile Jali pulled a goal back in the 87th minute when he ran on to a back heel from Mosa Lebusa to fire in to the far corner from the right expertly.

Soon after, Lakay had a golden opportunity to equalise when he was played through by Sibusiso Vilakazi, but his effort was brilliantly blocked by Arrows captain Mathome Mathiane as the hosts closed out the shock victory.

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Fixtures
Sat 30 Mar 24 15:30 PM (SAST)
Cape Town City FC
Cape Town City FC
Kaizer Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs
Athlone Stadium
SuperSport
Sat 30 Mar 24 15:30 PM (SAST)
Stellenbosch FC
Stellenbosch FC
Royal AM
Royal AM
Danie Craven Stadium
SuperSport
Sat 30 Mar 24 15:30 PM (SAST)
Golden Arrows
Golden Arrows
Richards Bay
Richards Bay
Mpumalanga Stadium
SuperSport
Results
Tue 12 Mar 24
Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns 1
SuperSport United
SuperSport United 1
Sun 10 Mar 24
Royal AM
Royal AM 2
Cape Town City FC
Cape Town City FC 0
Sun 10 Mar 24
Polokwane City
Polokwane City 0
Golden Arrows
Golden Arrows 1
Logs
Team
P
W
PTS
Team Logo
1. Mamelodi Sundowns
18
14
46
Team Logo
2. Orlando Pirates
20
9
33
Team Logo
3. SuperSport United
20
9
33
Team Logo
4. Stellenbosch FC
19
9
32