Arrows second half blitz downs Baroka
Golden Arrows enhanced their chances of a Top-8 finish, as two second half goals in as many minutes, accounted for relegation-haunted Baroka FC 3-2, in an Absa Premiership match played at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
Referee Mr Victor Gomes checking the Golden Arrows wall during the Absa Premiership match between Golden Arrows and Baroka FC at Princess Magogo Stadium. (Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images)
Baroka would have been weary of the task after fellow strugglers Highlands Park recorded a 1-0 win over drop zone candidates Chippa United on Friday night, and would have felt event worse after Arrows defender Siphelele Magubane converted a pass from fellow rearguard player Kudakwashe Mahachi in the 40th minute.
This allowed the hosts to lead 1-0 at the half-time interval.
Baroka, who picked up three valuable points against Mamelodi Sundowns, Bloemfontein Celtic and Orlando Pirates, before travelling to Durban, managed to get back into the game in the second half, and would have fancied another point in the final outcome when defender Victor Letsoalo breached the Arrows defence with a right foot finish to make the score 3-1 in the 68th minute.
However, Arrows are a difficult side to beat on their home turf, and second half substitute Lerato Lamola scored his fifth goal of the season in the 75th minute. Two minutes, later Arrows doubled their lead when defender Mahachi slotted the ball home with his left foot, following an intelligent piece of play from team-mate Andile Fikizola.
Baroka, who went into the match in the bottom spot of the league table with 24 points from 27 matches, managed to send a shudder down the spines of the Arrows players when defender Victor Letsoalo fired a right footed shot past home team goalkeeper Nkosingiphile Gumede in the 68th minute.
That is how it ended, with Baroka now set for a do-or-die encounter against Highlands Park (on 25 points from 28 games) in Polokwane on Friday. Following the fixture against the Lions of the North, as Highlands are known, the Limpopo side, who were promoted to the Absa Premiership from the National First Division at the end of last season, will travel to Cape Town for their final league match of the season, against Ajax Cape Town, on May 27.
Arrows, now on 35 points from 28 games, have a more positive fortnight ahead, with a trip to the Mother City to face Cape Town City on Friday. Then they will be involved in an appetising Nedbank Cup semifinal against Orlando Pirates, on May 21, before hosting the same opponents in their final league fixture of the season on May 27.
