Relegation looms for Arrows
Updated | By Staff Writer
Arrows earned a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bloemfontein Celtic in their Premiership encounter at the King Zwelithini Stadium, in Umlazi, last night
Gabadinho Mhango had given the visitors a 56th minute lead with a sharp finish, before Moholo restored his side's hope, although they will be unhappy after Festus Mbewe and Bonginkosi Ntuli missed late chances to clinch all the points.
The hosts stayed bottom of the table, nine points adrift of Polokwane City and Free State Stars, while the visitors, who had Tumelo Mogapi red carded with 15 minutes to play, stayed in top-eight contention.
Celtic made a blistering start in the cold and wet Durban conditions. Wandisile Letlabika came close to putting them ahead inside the opening 30 seconds with a belting 30-yard shot that had to be acrobatically turned away for a corner by the alert Arthur Bartman.
Siwelele continued to press forward and when Lerato Lamola managed to latch onto a defence-splitting pass by Musa Nyatama, it took a last-ditch Zwane challenge to thwart the striker.
Arrows' first opening took almost 20 minutes, although all that Bonginkosi Ntuli could do with Christopher Katongo's right-side cross was head straight at Patrick Tignyemb.
Moholo had an even better opening midway through the half as Festus Mbewe, part of a three-pronged home attack, somehow managed to squeeze the ball to Ntuli at the near-post, but the on-loan Orlando Pirates midfielder fired straight at the Celtic keeper.
Mhango twice tested Bartman with low efforts either side of the half-hour -- the Arrows custodian up to the task on both occasions -- with Rudolph Bester coming close via a rising long-range effort at the other end.
Zwane had another decent chance for Abafana Bes'thende before the break when he shot agonisingly across the face of goal after a strong run from the back.
Arrows showed a lot more enterprise after the break, but the final ball continued to elude them and they were then struck a hammer blow as Mhango put the visitors in front by controlling Mogapi's cross from the left, turning two men and poking past Bartman.
To their credit, they were level nine minutes later when Moholo struck a half-cleared ball off the upright and beyond the stranded Tignyemb from 30 yards out.
Lamola was then denied by Bartman at the near post after running in onto a threaded pass from midfield, while Vuyani Ntanga struck just off target on the half-volley.
The home side were given further hope when Mogapi was shown straight red by referee Lwandile Mfiki for a late challenge on Thanduyise Khuboni.
However, they failed to capitalise on their advantage with Mbewe and Ntuli spurring golden one-on-one chances at the death leaving their side even closer to relegation.
(Fili photo:Gallo Images)
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