Sundowns prove pedigree
A FINE all-round effort helped Mamelodi Sundowns to book their place in the quarter-finals of this season’s Champions League after they downed TP Mazembe 1-0 at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria last night.
Lebohang Maboe scored the winner in the 28th minute as he drilled the ball into the bottom corner of the net following a neatly crafted team move.
Downs were threatened at times by the five-time champions of Africa, who played an open game as Sundowns senior coach Manqoba Mngqithi anticipated would happen.
Downs goalkeeper Dennis Onyango was forced into action in the ninth minute as he smartly held onto a shot from range by Mazembe forward Phillippe Kinzumbi.
The veteran shot-stopper did well to command his area again in the 16th minute as he prevented an in-swinging cross from the right from amounting to anything.
Sundowns, however, commanded the game and this was illustrated by the fact that they had 71% possession going into half-time.
Mazembe never gave up in the second half and Onyango again had to be on his toes to ensure that his side prevailed. Shortly after the start of the second half, the 36-yearold made a good save to deny Jean Baleke with a deflected effort.
He again denied Baleke in the 60th minute from close range.
Peter Shalulile had two opportunities to seal the game for Sundowns in the 81st and 82nd minutes, though it was not to be this time for the Namibian forward. His header from a Lyle Lakay corner was wide and a minute later, he directed another header wide of the goal.
Sundowns are clearly playing like a team that can advance to the late stages of the continental competition.
They will next be in action on Sunday afternoon in a Premiership clash against struggling Black Leopards.
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs and hosts Petro de Luanda played to a goalless draw in their Group C match at the Estadio 11 de Novembro.
In desperation, Chiefs sent on substitutes Nkosingiphile and Samir Nurkovic in the second half to boost their attack but had to settle for a draw left left them third in the group.