Manqoba Mngqithi sees growth despite Golden Arrows Betway Premiership setback against Polokwane City

Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi says he remains encouraged by the progress of his youthful side despite suffering back-to-back defeats, the latest a loss to Polokwane City on Wednesday.

Abafana Bes’thende, who are undergoing a rebuild under the seasoned tactician, have endured a mixed start to the Betway Premiership campaign. 

Three losses, two wins and a draw from their opening six games leave the Lamontville-based side in 10th position with seven points.

Wednesday’s encounter at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium offered another glimpse of the promise in Mngqithi’s project, but also exposed the growing pains of a team stacked with academy graduates and inexperienced players. 

Arrows went into the break with the lead, but the match turned on its head after a red card to goalkeeper Xolani Ngcobo midway through the second half.

Reduced to 10 men, Arrows could not hold on as Rise and Shine mounted a comeback to steal all three points. 

It was a bitter pill for Mngqithi’s side to swallow, having earlier controlled large parts of the game.

“I think we’re very close and this game could’ve given a lot of confidence to the group because even against Chiefs, we played fairly well but were unfortunate to lose there as well,” Mngqithi reflected.

Arrows created several openings against Polokwane but were frustrated by a superb performance from the opposition goalkeeper.

“This match we could’ve scored a clean three or four goals,” he said. 

“But we must commend their goalkeeper because he did well to help Polokwane.”

Despite the setbacks, Mngqithi is pleased with the progression he sees from his youthful squad. 

Still, he was quick to stress that maintaining tactical discipline is non-negotiable if they are to avoid similar collapses.

“I am very pleased with the growth that I see in the group,” he explained. 

“It’s just a few aspects that worry me that we need to kill as quickly as possible, because if we don’t have tactical discipline all the time, it will hurt us in the future.”

The Arrows rebuild under Mngqithi has prioritised youth, with a number of academy players elevated to the first team. 

The project will inevitably take time, but the coach’s belief suggests the foundations are being laid for long-term stability.

Arrows’ seventh game of the season comes on Saturday against a Sekhukhune United side that is flying high at the summit of the table after thrashing Kaizer Chiefs in midweek. 

It will be another stern test for Mngqithi’s team as they search for consistency.

For now, Arrows’ campaign sits delicately poised. There are enough signs of promise to suggest progress, but also enough warning shots that patience will be key as Mngqithi works to mould his new-look squad into a competitive force.