Result: Golden Arrows 1-2 Black Leopards
Date: 23 February 2021
Venue: Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium
Black Leopards broke their five-match losing streak in the DStv Premiership to move off the bottom of the table with a 2-1 victory over Golden Arrows on Tuesday.
Divine Lunga, Lungelo Dube and Velemseni Ndwandwe came into the Arrows starting lineup, while Mohammed Anas, Temelo Khutlang and Sibongiseni Mthethwa were brought into the Leopards starting lineup.
Arrows were dealt a blow in the opening exchanges when Nkosinathi Sibisi collided with the fist of his goalkeeper Sifiso Mlungwana and was stretchered off to be replaced by Gladwin Shitolo.
Lidoda Duvha were dominating and winning the battle in midfield while Arrows were unable to play their free-flowing passing game.
Leopards took the lead in the 32nd minute. Lifa Hlongwane thundered a shot back off the crossbar with new signing Anas heading in the rebound.
Mandla Ncikazi introduced Lindokuhle Mtshali and Nduduzo Sibiya at half-time and his side looked transformed after the break.
In the 53rd minute, the ball was fizzed into the box from the right-hand side by Knox Mutizwa and Mtshali scuffed his effort to the left with Michael Gumede almost getting on the end of it with the stretch.
The pressure was unrelenting from Arrows and eventually paid off in the 68th minute. The ball was fed into the box with the Leopards defence failing to clear and it fell kindly to Gumede, who backheeled the ball audaciously into the back of the net.
Abafana Bes'thende were reduced to ten men in the 75th minute when Pule Mmodi was given a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Kenneth Nthatheni.
After the sending off, Leopards were the side on the front foot pushing men forward in search of a winner and eventually found the equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time with a magnificent individual effort from Anas, who thundered his finish into the top right-hand corner with Mlungwana getting hands to it but not being able to keep it out.
Arrows: 36. Mlungwana, 2. Nkombelo, 29. Sibisi, 31. Zuke, 28. M.Dube, 13. Mmodi, 23. L.Dube, 12. Ndwandwe, 6. Parusnath, 33. M.Gumede, 18. Mutizwa.
Subs: 30. Sibanda, 6. Sabelo, 37. Ndlovu, 26. Phiri, 7. Mtshali, 5. Shitolo, 11. Sibiya, 20. Mathiane
Leopards: 22. Ndlovu, 28. Matsimbi, 32. Mashoene, 26. Nthatheni, 2. Gyimah, 5. Aubabakar, 6. Mthethwa, 16. Ramagalela, 30. Anas, 17. Hlongwane, 4. Khutlang
Subs: 32. Muleka, 29. Masia, 33. Khumalo, 25. Mokoena, 36. Thutlwa, 14. Kabwe, 18. Makgetlwa, 19. Karuru
