Latest news with #Arrows
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
SuperSport survive dreaded playoffs in game of two halves, and three months
The Betway Premiership season has officially, finally, come to an end with SuperSport United surviving the dreaded promotion play-offs with a 1-1 draw with Golden Arrows at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Thursday. This second half, which ended without goals, was a continuation of the match that was abandoned at half time on February 23, three months ago, due to Lucas Moripe's lights going out amid a power failure with the score level at 1-1 at half time. At that time, SuperSport opened the scoring after four minutes through the effort of Christian Saile and that goal was cancelled out in the 24th minute by Velemseni Ndwandwe for Arrows. SuperSport, whose future remains in doubt with rumours the club is on sale, are equal on 27 points with Cape Town City but they have a better goal-difference and they have saved their status in the PSL. Emotional scenes as SuperSport Utd breathe a sigh of relief 🥹 #BetwayPrem | #SSDiski — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) May 29, 2025 This means City, who finished 15th, go to the play-offs where they will play against Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) sides Orbit College and Casric Stars — pending an arbitration involving MFC champions Durban City — to save their PSL status. It is not known whether this is the end of this matter because City's boss John Comitis is believed to be seeking legal advice to challenge the validity of this match, where two halves were played three months apart. According to the rules, the game should resume with all personnel who were involved that day and yellow cards in place but both scorers Saile and Ndwandwe were not in the match-day squads, presumably due to injury. Both sides' coaches had also changed, Andre Arendse replacing Gavin Hunt at Matsatsantsa and Manqoba Mngithi coming in for Kagisho Dikgacoi and Musa Bilankulu, who became his assistants, at Arrows. Ordinarily the 16th-placed Premiership side is automatically relegated and 15th team goes to the promotion-relegation playoffs. This season, due to Royal AM's expulsion, only the 15-positioned side goes to the playoffs, with no side dropping automatically. Faced with a situation where a defeat could have resulted in devastating consequences, Arendse went with a strong line-up of players like the Bafana Bafana duo of Ricardo Goss and Nyiko Mobbie, former national captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, Ime Okon, Lebohang Maboe, Sipheshihle Ndlovu, Samir Nurković and Lyle Lakay. Mngqithi picked a strong combination too, which included key players like Isimail Watenga, Gladwin Shitolo, Brandon Theron, Nduduzo Sibiya, Nhlanhla Zwane and Lungelo Dube. Arrows ended the season in 12th place and Mngqithi has a lot of work to do during the off-season to recruit players who will help the team be consistent next campaign. There was relief at the final whistle with SuperSport players and members of staff in wild celebrations but the issue remains about the continued status of the club that has three league titles.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
SuperSport retain their Betway Premiership status
On that occasion, Christian Saile had handed United an early lead in the fourth minute, before Velemseni Ndwandwe drew Arrows level. Keenan Phillips of Golden Arrows challenged by Samir Nurkovic of Supersport United during the Betway Premiership 2024/25 match at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria on the 29 May 2025 © Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix SuperSport United have retained their Betway Premiership status following a 1–1 draw against Golden Arrows at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Thursday. The fixture resumed with just 45 minutes of the second half to be played, after the original match was abandoned three months ago due to a power failure. ALSO READ: Could the Premiership relegation battle be decided in court? On that occasion, Christian Saile had handed United an early lead in the fourth minute, before Velemseni Ndwandwe drew Arrows level. The match was initially set to mark Gavin Hunt's milestone of 1,000 games in charge in South Africa's top-flight football. However, the veteran coach was dismissed in March after a string of disappointing results, with Andre Arendse taking over the reins on an interim basis. Needing only a point to steer clear of the relegation play-offs, SuperSport approached the rescheduled encounter with caution. The Tshwane-based outfit were content to concede possession, defending deep in their own half for much of the match. Arrows struggled to break down a well-organised United side that was clearly playing for a draw. Aside from half-chances for Samir Nurković and substitute Bradley Grobler, SuperSport offered little going forward in a largely uneventful second half. The result sees SuperSport finish 14th on the log with 27 points from the revised 28-game season. ALSO READ: Tovey blasts Chiefs' 'not good at all' season Cape Town City also conclude their campaign on 27 points, but Arendse's charges edge them due to a superior goal difference. On the other hand, Arrows end their campaign in 12th position on the log standings, and two points outside the top eight. Manqoba Mngqithi's team needed to win by an avalanche of goals to boost their chances of sneaking into the top half of the log. Royal AM expulsion from the premiership means that they are essentially relegated as the league finishes with 15 teams. Barring any legal disputes, The Citizens will now contest the relegation play-off mini-league against ORBIT College and Casric Stars who finished second and third respectively in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Durban City, have secured automatic promotion to the elite tier of South African football.
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Can SuperSport United make it count against Golden Arrows to avoid PSL playoffs?
Matshelane Mamabolo | Published 15 minutes ago A MATCH that was supposed to have been a celebratory event for a seasoned coach will now be played with much greater significance. Back in February when SuperSport United hosted Golden Arrows at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, the game was all about Gavin Hunt being in charge of his 1,000th professional match. The multiple championship-winning coach was given a guard of honour by both clubs as he walked onto the pitch, and the small crowd were on their feet applauding. But load-shedding spoiled it all, the match being stalled midway through the first half as the lights went off. Then that stanza was completed with the score at 1-1, following goals by Christian Saile and Willemson Ndwandwe, before the darkness and lack of a generator led to its abandonment. Three months later, the two teams will complete the match, with just the second half to be played at noon today at the same venue. It could well be different clubs playing this match – Hunt having long been fired from SuperSport, and his then-counterpart Musa Bilankulu demoted to the assistant role at an Arrows outfit now coached by Manqoba Mngqithi. Back then, both sides were mid-table outfits nursing hopes of a top-eight finish. But now they are bottom dwellers, with the KwaZulu-Natal side having a very slim chance of usurping Richards Bay in eighth place. SuperSport, on the other hand, need to get something out of this match like the desert needs the rain, desperately. Matsatsantsa a Pitori are in 15th place, and will go into the promotion-relegation playoffs with the two sides from the Motsepe Foundation Championship if they do not get at least a point. On the face of it, all they need do is keep Arrows from finding their net, and the former three-time league champions would have their status secured. But it will not be that easy, not with their recent wretched form that has seen them and victories resembling the parallel lines of the railway – destined never to meet. After every match they've played and lost, interim SuperSport coach Andre Arendse spoke confidently that they would do better in the next one. That has not happened, hence the situation they find themselves in. Last weekend, after they lost 2-0 to Richards Bay, the previously confident former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper cut a sorry and dejected figure as he tried to remain hopeful. He lamented their lack of luck, and said he hopes they will enjoy it this time around. They better do so, given the rumours that the club's status is going to be sold to a Free State consortium that wants to revive Bloemfontein Celtic. You can bet they will not want to buy a second division team. It will not be stretching it to say Arendse and his team are facing the most important 45 minutes of their careers. Will they make it count?
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Could the Premiership relegation battle be decided in court?
'We have no problem if we end up in the playoffs; the team is ready. But it must be fair,' said Cape Town City chairman John Comitis. John Comitis is considering legal action of Cape Town City end up in the relegation play-offs. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix Cape Town City owner John Comitis has suggested he may resort to legal action if his side end up in the relegation/promotion play-offs. ALSO READ: Arendse wants error-free SuperSport in crunch final half Comitis is clearly furious that SuperSport United are playing 45 minutes against Golden Arrows on Thursday, a fixture that is set to decide who finishes in 15th place in the Betway Premiership. Relegation play-off fight With Royal AM booted out of the league, the only battle involving relegation this season is for 15th place. Whoever finishes there will end up in the play-offs against Orbit College and Casric Stars. Orbit and Stars finished in second and third respectively in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. As it stands, SuperSport are in 15th place, a point behind Cape Town City. But if Andre Arendse's side can earn at least a draw against Arrows – the game is being started again with the scores at 1-1 – then they will survive and City will be in the play-offs. Controversy surrounds the resumption of the SuperSport-Arrows game, however. This match was originally played on February 23, over three months ago. With the two teams tied at 1-1 at half time, there was a power failure at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville. At some point it seemed like the result may be awarded to Arrows, as SuperSport had not supplied a backup generator. Only last week was it finally decided that the SuperSport-Arrows game would resume. 'We are looking at the matter. We are reviewing our options, and we believe that we truly have a case here to take it back to the PSL,' Comitis told Phalaphala FM on Tuesday. 'As a club, we have communicated with the PSL, so at this stage, I would like to leave it as is. The decision that has been made has created a situation where they probably had to break five rules in order to achieve what they have achieved.' 'How fair is that?' 'The first one was that the game didn't take place within 48 hours. The next one is that it wasn't a force majeure. The third one is that they can't continue at half-time and replicate the game now after three months, because there are different players at clubs, there are yellow cards and a whole lot of different reasons why it can't happen. ALSO READ: Chiefs' Motaung in hot water – report 'The worst part is the league is finished. They are now sitting in a position where they can decide what they need to see what they need. How fair is that? Where is the fair play? So we are really aggrieved. We have no problem if we end up in the playoffs; the team is ready. But it must be fair, and it must be on the pitch. Not in the boardroom.'
The Citizen
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Arendse wants error-free SuperSport in crunch final half
'There are a couple of elements that we've got to think about going into that game,' the SuperSport head coach told SABC Sport. Andre Arendse says his SuperSport side cannot afford to make a mistake against Golden Arrows. Picture: Philip Maeta/Gallo Images One half of football and no mistakes – that is SuperSport United head coach Andre Arendse's message ahead of the resumption of his side's crucial Betway Premiership clash with Golden Arrows today. ALSO READ: Pirates looking to end season on a high SuperSport go into the game needing a point to avoid finishing the campaign in the relegation play-offs. SuperSport's controversial waiting time The game was originally abandoned in February with the scores tied at 1-1 at half time, after a power failure at the Lucas Moire Stadium in Atteridgeville. After a controversially-long wait of about three months, it was decided that the game will resume where it left off. 'There are a couple of elements that we've got to think about going into that game. We're going to only one half. We go into it with one point already, which is more or less what we need, for example,' Arendse told SABC Sport. 'We have to go into the game with that mindset but at the same time, we cannot afford to be on the back foot. So, we cannot afford to close up shop because then we are going to invite unnecessary pressure and when you do that, you are prone to mistakes. 'We cannot afford one single mistake in that half of football that's to come.' SuperSport are helped by the fact that Golden Arrows sealed their survival in the Premiership with a 3-2 win over Sekhukhune United last weekend. Arrows' MTN8 longshot Barring an absolute thrashing of SuperSport, Arrows have no chance of sneaking into next season's MTN8. Arrows can get to 33 points with a win, the same points as Chippa United in 8th. But their goal difference is -12 to Chippa's -6. That means Arrows would have to beat SuperSport 7-1, scoring six times in 45 minutes, to leapfrog Chippa in the table. ALSO READ: Sundowns' Komphela – 'We won't drown in Sorrow' As such Mnqqithi's side have little to play for, leaving the onus on SuperSport to get a result and put Cape Town City in. the play-offs instead of them.
