Golden Arrows will not be relegated, insists Mngqithi despite winless run

IOL News

18-05-2025

Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has one more match in the Betway Premiership to prepare the club for – Sekhukhune United – next weekend. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi is adamant his team won't be relegated, even as the pressure mounts with only one game left to play in their turbulent season.
Abafana Bes'thende were held to a goalless draw by Richards Bay on Saturday, extending their winless run to seven matches. The result moved them to 27 points — still dangerously close to the drop zone.
Cape Town City's win over Polokwane City meant 30 points is the mark to reach to ensure safety. Arrows now need a final-day win over Sekhukhune United to be certain of surviving the ignominy of playing in the PSL promotion/relegation play-offs.
They remain just one point above CTC in the relegation play-off spot and are level with SuperSport on points.
The Durban side are still awaiting a PSL ruling on their abandoned fixture against SuperSport, which could yet impact their survival hopes. But for Mngqithi, there's no panic — just belief.
'Stats are like bikinis they don't reveal everything' … Mandla is going to coach Golden arrows when they fire Manqoba 🤣🤣🤣 — ISHMAEL 🏴‍☠️☠️🇿🇦🇨🇩🇵🇸 (@mr_shimmy) May 18, 2025
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'Golden Arrows will not be relegated and when the opposite happens, I will be here to answer,' he said with conviction after the match.
'I am very confident looking at the log table and looking at the games we still have to play. Relegation is not a worry for me and I've said this for a while looking at the prospect of playing two games (and only requiring three points).'
Arrows' draw at home to Richards Bay highlighted the same issues that have plagued their season — missed chances, lack of urgency in key moments, and defensive uncertainty.
It was their seventh straight match without a victory, and although they avoided defeat, it wasn't enough to ease growing anxiety among supporters.
Mngqithi, a league winner with Mamelodi Sundowns in the past, blamed injuries and the loss of key players for the team's nosedive at the business end of the campaign.
'The only thing I'm upset about is my team not pitching to the right level and that's partly because we lost key players at a crucial moment and that for me was the biggest setback.'
Despite the results, Mngqithi pointed to improvements in performance and structure under his guidance.
'If you look at the metrics, we are playing better now than we were previously (before he arrived) with probably the (Orlando) Pirates game the anomaly.'
'So, there are more positives than negatives for me but the negatives supersede the positives when you don't do the easiest things correctly (to get the necessary results),' he added.
Now all focus turns to Saturday's must-win fixture against Sekhukhune United at the Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammarsdale. With 30 points likely securing their survival, Mngqithi's men have one last chance to control their own fate without relying on other results or PSL rulings.
Mngqithi says he's not worried — but Arrows fans will need nerves of steel this week.