Arrows had to play at a high-tempo to win against AmaZulu, says Vilakazi

Golden Arrows interim coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi knew that they had to play at a high tempo coming up against AmaZulu FC in their rescheduled last DStv Premiership match of the season.

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The team’s met in a Durban derby on Tuesday with Arrows winning 2-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, after the weekend’s game was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch at the same venue.

Vilakazi, however, admits that there were moments in the game when his team was a bit flat and they had to fight their way back into the game. Usuthu had taken the lead through Sphesihle Maduna, before Velemseni Ndwande levelled matters before half-time.

Then Nduduzo Sibiya sealed the victory for Arrows in the later stages of the game after he was fouled inside the box and he took the responsibility of taking the spot-kick and converted to give Abafana Be’Sthende maximum points.

“I think the important part is that when we started the game we started on a high note, we indicated to the players in the dressing room that when we start we have to start on a high just like we did in the game that was postponed because we scored in the first two minutes,” the Arrows coach told SuperSport.com.

“We were a bit down between 35 and 40 minutes. But we spoke again during half-time about the things we need to rectify in order to stay in the game. We knew that if we upped our game, we would win the match. We had to double the effort in order to be victorious.”
The win took Arrows to eighth spot on the league standings with 40 points. But it is not guaranteed if the 2021/22 season will end with Abafana Be’Sthede in that position with ninth placed SuperSport United on 37 points still have one more game to play against Orlando Pirates on 30th May.

Should Matsatsantsa win their tie against Bucs, they will be level on 40 points with Arrows, meaning the sides will be separated by goal-difference for a spot in the Top-8.