Arrows suffer first league loss
Golden Arrows surrendered the last unbeaten South African Premiership record Tuesday and wasted a chance to top the table when they crashed 3-0 to SuperSport United.
The Durban outfit started the round 10 match in second place after three victories and six draws and needed one point to replace Baroka as leaders on goal difference.
But they struggled to contain CAF Confederation Cup finalists SuperSport from the kick-off at Mbombela Stadium in northeastern city Nelspruit.
Veteran Reneilwe Letsholonyane tapped a cross from New Zealander Jeremy Brockie into an unguarded goal on 24 minutes to put United ahead.
Aubrey Modiba scored the second SuperSport goal just before half-time, pushing the ball over the goal-line after Nkosingiphile Gumede spilled a Bradley Grobler header.
Modiba struck again after 53 minutes with a sizzling close-range shot after brilliant one-touch passing carved a hole in Arrows' defence.
Arrows had no answer to the speed and skill of SuperSport and were lucky not to suffer an even heavier defeat against one of the title favourites.
Because of African commitments, United have played fewer fixtures than the other 15 Premiership clubs and went into the Arrows match lying second last.
Winning lifted the club bankrolled by a Johannesburg-based sports TV network five places to 10th, six points behind Baroka with four matches in hand.
"It was a great performances with good movement and support play," said SuperSport coach and former South Africa midfielder Eric Tinkler.
"We were really solid, created plenty of scoring opportunities and would not have been flattered by a four or five-goal winning margin."
Arrows coach Clinton Larsen, who helped now defunct Manning Rangers win the first Premiership in 1997 as a player, admitted that his side deserved nothing from the match.
"It was a poor performance, especially in defence. Conceding the second goal just before the break left us with a mountain to climb. My boys tried, but were not good enough on the night."
Baroka, who are away to unpredictable mid-table side AmaZulu in Durban Wednesday, have 16 points, Arrows and Bloemfontein Celtic 15 and Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates 14.
Jacky Motshegwa finished off a cross after 16 minutes to give Celtic a 1-0 home victory over struggling Maritzburg United.
A couple of Polokwane City players were fortunate not to be red-carded for stamping on and kicking opponents as they drew 0-0 at home against wasteful Chiefs.