Mokoena’s Late Screamer Sends Sundowns Top as Arrows Rivalry Delivers Again
Mamelodi Sundowns snatched a dramatic 2-1 win over Golden Arrows deep into stoppage time at King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium.
Teboho Mokoena’s scorching last-minute strike settled yet another instalment of a rivalry that has now produced three fiery meetings in under a month — and sending the Brazilians top of the Betway Premiership table.
Sundowns arrived in Umlazi in ominous form, level on points with Orlando Pirates before kick-off, and took early control just as they had in recent weeks — stringing together spells of over 200 passes to Arrows’ fewer than 90 as Miguel Cardoso’s side dictated the tempo from the opening whistle.
The breakthrough came just past the hour mark, with Cassius Mailula capping a slick passage of one-touch football with a classy tap-in to put the visitors 1-0 up..
True to their recent form against Sundowns, Arrows refused to fold. Sede Junior Dion — the man who has repeatedly haunted the Brazilians through this extended rivalry — drew the home side level, sending the King Zwelithini crowd into raptures and setting up a tense finish that looked destined to end honours even.
But there was late heartbreak in store for Golden Arrows. With the game going into stoppage time, Mokoena stepped up and unleashed a rasping effort from just outside the box that gave goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa no chance, sparking wild scenes among the travelling Sundowns contingent and snatching all three points at the death.
It’s a third meeting between these sides in under a month, and yet another one settled by fine margins — following Arrows’ shock 1-0 first-leg MTN8 win and Sundowns’ dramatic 3-2 second-leg fightback to reach the cup final.
This time, though, it’s Sundowns who leave Durban with the spoils, leapfrogging Pirates to move top of the table as they continue to juggle an increasingly congested schedule that includes next month’s MTN8 final and a FIFA Intercontinental Cup fixture against Al Ahli later this month.
