Siwelele impress with statement win against Golden Arrows

Siwelele FC marked their debut in the Betway Premiership in style, claiming a confident 3-1 win over Golden Arrows at a rocking Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium on Saturday.

A brace from Siviwe Magidigidi and Vincent Pule handed coach Lehlohonolo Seema a dream start to the season, as two quick-fire strikes in the first half rattled Abafana Bes’thende and gave the home fans exactly what they had been craving.

In a sea of green and white, the City of Bloemfontein—the proud City of Roses—was finally quenched of its thirst with football back by popular demand. On a Women’s Day when many around the country received flowers, the Siwelele faithful got their own gift—the return of top-flight football.

The stands were alive with song, carrying the joy of a community that had waited far too long for this moment.

For several Siwelele players, this occasion carried extra meaning. Just months ago, they were fighting for survival in SuperSport United colors, enduring the mental and physical strain of a relegation scrap.

Fortune truly favors the brave, and for these players, their journey to Bloemfontein has already borne fruit. Surrounded by a fan base whose passion has never faded, they embraced a stage rich in history and expectation. The shirt’s crest may have changed, but the heartbeat is the same—the proud, relentless DNA of a team that still carries echoes of the old Celtic spirit.

Abafana Bes’thende came prepared to spoil the party and looked composed in the early stages, carrying a quiet threat of their own. But the constant roar of Siwelele’s twelfth man began to tilt the balance, turning the opening exchanges into a tense tactical battle with no clear chances.

That changed in the 15th minute when Christian Saile’s powerful strike forced Edward Maova into action, a warning of what was to come.

Five minutes later, the hosts struck. Gladwin Shitolo switched off at the back, allowing Pule to meet a pinpoint cross with a bullet header. Maova parried well, but Magidigidi was quickest to react, smashing home the rebound to send the stadium into chaos.

The visitors barely had time to regroup before they were punished again. Another lapse in concentration saw Pule played clean through by the opposition. With composure and class, he rounded Maova and rolled the ball into the empty net to double Siwelele’s lead.

Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi made changes early in the second half, and the response was immediate as Keenan Phillips pulled a goal back, guiding the ball into the net to make it 2-1 in the 50th minute.

But Seema’s men didn’t waver. Still full of energy and driven by the unrelenting home support, they restored their two-goal cushion in the 56th minute. Magidigidi rose highest from a corner and powered home a header to seal the win and cap a complete performance on their Premiership debut.