The 2024/25 Betway Premiership season is in full swing with exhilarating action over the weekend raising the roof of expectancy levels from top to bottom.
One of the final three fixtures of the round sees Golden Arrows sharpen their aim before jetting off to face a Stellenbosch FC team that has gained a reputation for being a war machine.
The two teams will clash at the Athlone Stadium at 7.30pm today with ambitions to make a positive start to their respective campaigns. Stellies will undoubtedly head into this match as the favourites given their recent performances and personal record against Abafana Besthende.
Our league campaign gets underway this week 💪
🆚 Golden Arrows
🏆 #BetwayPrem
🏟 Athlone Stadium
📅 Wednesday, 18 September
🕙 19H30
🎟️ R50.00 from Webtickets
📺 SuperSport OTT 3 (244) pic.twitter.com/LJPHbWNwm4
Arrows have managed just a single victory in the last eight battles against Stellenbosch, the last of those coming three years ago as a Pule Mmodi opener was followed by a Micheal Gumede brace to ensure victory in the Western Cape.
A good chunk of that Arrows team remains with the Durban-based outfit and they may need to revisit that day in energy and spirit to overcome a Stellenbosch side currently on a hot streak.
Arrows will start this match on the back foot having not played any competitive football so far this season, a stark contrast to a Stellies outfit that wrecked every team put in their way.
The home team has played six matches already this season in both the MTN8 and CAF Confederation Cup and has won all six of those matches including back-to-back wins against Mamelodi Sundowns.
An OG returns to Abafana Bes’thende, back to where his playing career started. KG will share his experience and knowledge of the beautiful game alongside Coach Mabhudi and Coach Musa in the upcoming season . Welcome back Kagisho Dikgacoi
— Lamontville Golden Arrows FC (@goldenarrowsfc1) September 13, 2024
💚💛#SthendeWay #10betGoldenArrows… pic.twitter.com/q5BXLmpMic
Expected to be on the list of Arrows’ priorities ahead of this game is breaching a Stellies defence that has conceded just one goal in six matches, a task the likes of Ryan Moon and Lungelo Nguse are expected to be up to.
It is going to be a case of resetting for Abafana Besthende this season, who will now have to begin life without coach Steve Komphela who returned to Sundowns at the start of the season.
Club chairperson Mato Madlala has entrusted individuals who have the green and yellow running through their veins with head coach Mabhuti Khenyeza assisted by Musa Bilankulu and most recently Kagiso “KG” Dikagcoi.
While the duo of Khenyeza and Bilankulu hare tried and tested, most people have great interest in the influence of Dikagcoi, who spent time in the colours of Crystal Palace, Fulham and Cardiff City in the UK.
The 39-year-old had been the coach of Witbank Spurs in the ABC Motsepe League but had made a return to the club that helped him grab the attention of many in the top flight.
The midfield department of Arrows is expected to benefit handsomely from having a man of Dikagcoi’s stature around and will receive their first test of the season against the likes of Sihle Nduli, Jayden Adams and Ibraheem Jabaar.