SuperSport’s fate to be decided by 45 minutes on Thursday

SuperSport United’s fate in the Betway Premiership will be decided by 45 minutes against Golden Arrows, as they complete their previously abandoned match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Thursday 29 May. Kick-off is at 12pm CAT.

MATCH BACKGROUND

The teams’ original meeting back in February (which was also former SuperSport mentor Gavin Hunt’s 1000th match as a coach in South African football) was abandoned at halftime due to load shedding, with the score 1-1 after goals from Christian Saile and Velemseni Ndwandwe.

The match will be completed at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, with the score 1-1 and only the 45 minutes of the second half to be played.

The result is of critical importance to SuperSport, who find themselves in 15th place on the Betway Premiership log and headed for the promotion/relegation playoffs. However, a draw or win would see them rise to 14th place and leapfrog Cape Town City, thus avoiding the playoffs and pushing the Citizens into a fight for their top-flight survival.

Arrows could also qualify for the MTN8 with a win, though they would need to secure a five-goal margin of victory to force Richards Bay from eighth place (assuming that Magesi FC have not done a similar thing in their match against Orlando Pirates on the evening prior).

WHAT THE TEAMS ARE SAYING

SuperSport United interim coach Andre Arendse on the need to avoid making mistakes:

“There are a couple of elements that we've gotta think about going into that game. We're going to only one half. We got into it with one point already, which is more or less what we need, for example.

“So, 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.”

KEY PLAYERS

SuperSport United – Bradley Grobler

The SuperSport United veteran will be one of the most determined players in terms of helping to save Matsatsantsa from potential relegation, and he is in goal-scoring form after netting in United’s 2-0 win over Chippa United earlier in the month.

Golden Arrows –Velemseni Ndwandwe

After scoring in the ‘first half’ of this match, Ndwandwe would love to add to his tally and help Arrows end their 2024-25 season with a respectable ninth-place (in the event of a win by less than a five-goal margin) finish on the log.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

In head-to-head stats, SuperSport and Arrows have met in 47 league matches, with the former claiming 21 wins compared to 16 for the latter, while 10 games have been drawn.

When the teams first met earlier this season, at the Mpumalanga Stadium in October 2024, they played out a goalless stalemate.

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2019/20 Arrows 1-0 SuperSport Fleurs (og)

2020/21 Arrows 3-1 SuperSport Mathiane, Ndwandwe, Makhubela; Mokoena

2020/21 SuperSport 0-1 Arrows Sibiya

2021/22 SuperSport 3-1 Arrows Mokoena, Mbule, Gabuza; Sabelo (pen)

2021/22 Arrows 3-2 SuperSport Sibiya (pen), Mutizwa, Ndwandwe; Webber (pen), Rasebotja

2022/23 Arrows 2-1 SuperSport Sibiya, Mutizwa; Sibanyoni

2022/23 SuperSport 2-1 Arrows Lepasa 2; Mutizwa (pen)

2023/24 SuperSport 0-3 Arrows Nguse, Van Rooi, Moon

2023/24 Arrows 2-2 SuperSport Nguse, Shitolo; Okon Dzvukamanja

2024/25 Arrows 0-0 SuperSport

LEAGUE RECORD (since 2000/01)

Home

P W D L GF GA

SuperSport 23 12 5 6 43 26

Arrows 24 10 5 9 29 29

Away

P W D L GF GA

SuperSport 24 9 5 10 29 29

Arrows 23 6 5 12 26 43

TOTAL

P W D L GF GA

SuperSport 47 21 10 16 73 55

Arrows 47 16 10 21 55 73