Downs romp to second place with easy win

Leopards concede six goals in four days

Mamelodi Sundowns romped to a 3-0 win over Black Leopards to elbow Orlando Pirates out of second position in the Premiership last night. A first-half goal from Lebohang Maboe and an own goal from Isaac Masia plus a Ricardo Nascimento penalty in the second half saw Downs move up to 34 points – just three behind leaders Bidvest Wits. Dylan Kerr’s men lost by a three-goal margin for the second consecutive game after losing to Celtic on Sunday. Downs opted to lead the attack with playmakers Maboe and Gaston Sirino. For a third consecutive match, skipper Marks Munyai was missing from the Leopards team, with the defender apparently banished for signing a pre-contract with Highlands Park.

The first-half was an actionpacked spectacle that kept the fans at the stadium on the edge of their seats. For all their energetic running though, Lidoda Duvha scuppered the chances they created, with top striker Mwape Musonda missing a few chances.

They were punished for not making the most of their opportunities as Maboe got the opening goal in the 41st minute. Sundowns’ skipper Hlompho Kekana deserves much of the credit for that goal after an impressive sequence of play where the midfielder chased down Musonda and dispossessed him with a tackle in his own half. Kekana then delivered a long diagonal ball to Gaston Sirino, who crossed to Maboe who found the net. Maboe also engineered the second goal as his cross into the box led to an own goal by Masia in the 54th minute. Nascimento rounded up the emphatic win with a penalty in the 85th minute.