Richards, Arrows cancel each other out in four-goal thriller

KwaZulu-Natal rivals, Richards Bay and Golden Arrows, played out to a 2-2 draw in an entertaining Betway Premiership match which was played at the Richards Bay Stadium on Friday night.

The draw left the Natal Rich Boys placed ninth in the league standings - four points behind eighth-placed Polokwane City. Ronnie Gabriel and Papi Zothwane's side will be in action on February 8 as they take on Siwelele FC in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 match.

The KZN Derby ends in a share of the spoils 🤝#SSDiski | #BetwayPrem pic.twitter.com/XcxZYrgsOA — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) January 30, 2026

Abafana Bes'thende, on the other hand, moved up to the 10th spot in the standings - two points behind Richards Bay. Coach Manqoba Mngqithi and his charges have turned their attention to their Nedbank Cup Round of 32 match against Orbit College, scheduled for February 7.

It took just nine minutes for the Natal Rich Boys to break the deadlock after they were awarded a penalty in a fast-paced encounter. The in-form Moses Mthembu stepped up and scored his third goal in as many matches to hand Richards Bay a 1-0 lead.

However, Abafana Bes'thende hit back through Lungelo Nguse, who netted his eighth goal for the club to level matters in the 27th minute, with Siyanda Ndlovu grabbing his fifth assist of the season in the league. The score was 1-1 at the interval following an entertaining first-half.

9' Richards Bay 1-0 Arrows
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50' Richards Bay 1-2 Arrows

Manqoba Mngqithi's complete the turnaround in the KZN Derby - can they hold on? 🤔

📺 Stream #BetwayPrem on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/lJlhnykBwU — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) January 30, 2026

What followed was another enthralling half of football as Ndlovu showed why he was named Betway Premiership Player of the Month for September/October 2025. The 22-year-old beat goalkeeper Ian Otieno to hand Arrows a 2-1 lead five minutes into the second-half.

However, the hosts responded with a well-worked goal five minutes after the hour-mark. Eventual Man of the Match Mthembu delivered an exquisite cross which was headed home by Lundi Mahala for his second goal of the season and ultimately, the memorable KZN Derby clash ended in a 2-2 draw.

Richards (1) 2 (Mthembu 9' Mahala 65')

Arrows (1) 2 (Nguse 27', Mahala 65')

Richards Bay: Otieno, Mabuya, Mntungwa, Zuke, Mthethwa, Ngema (T. Gumede 79'), Mthembu, Mahala (Bomelo 90'+), Zikhali, Mutizwa (Barns 55')

Arrows: T. Mbanjwa, Komara, Cisse, Mabaso, Jiyane, Ndlovu (Karelse 82'), Dlamini (Sibiya 67'), K. Shezi (Madonsela 46'), Nguse (Dion 82'), P. Khumalo (Van Rooi 74'), Maxwele