CT City vs Sundowns, all last night’s action

Loftus

Mamelodi Sundowns (1) 3 Maboe 22, Laffor 60, Mahlambi 87 Cape Town City (0) 2 Norodien PEN 47, Erasmus 90+2

THE Brazilians finally took a bite of the juicy carrot (No 1 position) that’s been dangling in front of them since they hosted AmaZulu on 29 January yesterday. The taste was made sweeter by the fact that Sundowns marched to the summit of the PSL log at the expense of another championship contender that has consistently had the Tshwane giant’s number.

Just when the No. 1 position was slipping from Sundowns’ grasp once again yesterday, the man for the big occasions, Anthony Laffor, stepped up and unleashed a thunderbolt that helped secured the maximum points for the hosts. Sundowns put on a championship-winning performance against City. They showed their experience of managing high-profile matches against a team led by a coach who is still a novice. The Brazilians played this match with their brains more than anything else. The experience of Anele Ngcongca and Tebogo Langerman nullified the threat of Craig Martin and Riyaad Norodien’s speed.

Pitso Mosimane’s men absorbed the pressure well, knowing that City would take the fight to Sundowns, but that played into the hands of the hosts. They manipulated the fact that they don’t have a target man. Lebohang Maboe, Gaston Sirino, Themba Zwane and Laffor stretched City’s defence with their runs.

The plan was simple. Absorb the pressure and then hit the visitors with a sucker punch from a ball that would be played behind City’s defence. Langerman came with that ball that was received by Maboe who gave the reigning league champions the lead. City were made to look like amateurs, prompting Benni McCarthy to breathe fire into his team at halftime for them to make a contest out of the match. A minute into the second half City won a penalty, and Norodien blasted it past Kennedy Mweene.

Two minutes into the second half, City finally arrived in South Africa’s capital, but the Brazilians would have the last laugh courtesy of a man who brings joy by the bucket loads in this part of SA. Laffor’s goal and Phakamani Mahlambi’s late tap-in took Sundowns to the summit for the first time this season. Kermit Erasmus scored a stunning goal in optional time, but it was too late. What should make Sundowns more confident is that they have a game in hand along with the point they lead Wits by.