Pitso unleashes wily Billiat to squash Stars
● Khama Billiat underlined once again why he has been one of the key players for the Brazilians in the past few seasons, scoring two exquisite free kicks that would have left all his potential suitors licking their lips.
The want-away Zimbabwean striker was restored to Sundowns’ starting line-up as Sundowns beat the hapless Platinum Stars 3-0 at Loftus Stadium yesterday afternoon to record their 11th victory of the season.
Sundowns could have had their biggest win of the campaign had they not opted to slow the pace and take their foot off the pedal in the second half, in which they continued to dominate possession.
Playing this match with one eye on their potential cracker against Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium on Saturday, Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane opted to unleash Billiat against Stars and his decision took only 37 minutes to bear fruit with Billiat taking his league tally to five goals.
The Brazilians were always favourites against the relegation-bound Stars who hardly tested Sundowns keeper Dennis Onyango in both halves.
The table toppers, who are four points clear of Cape Town City at the summit of the Absa Premiership table, opened the scoring via Sibusiso Vilakazi who was given room to manoeuvre down the middle before beating Dino Visser with an outstanding shot.
Mosimane made two changes to the team that lost 3-1 to Orlando Pirates last week, bringing in Billiat and defender Bangaly Soumahoro for right-back Siyanda Zwane and captain Hlompho Kekana, who was rested for next week’s match against Chiefs.
Billiat’s inclusion raised eyebrows as Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe and Mosimane had indicated — when they announced the new signings this week — that the Zim- babwean was bound to leave the club for Europe during the January transfer window.
All the four signings — Jeremy Brockie, Leandro Siring, Aubrey Ngoma and Siyabonga Zulu — formally introduced on Wednesday, were on the substitutes’ bench.
Mosimane did give Ngoma, Siring and Brockie their debuts in the second half, withdrawing both goalscorers and Themba Zwane — with an eye on the Chiefs game.
Siring became an instant hit with the Sundowns supporters, his razor-sharp touches proving why Mosimane went out of his way to get the signature of the Uruguayan.
Brockie too was eager to open his account on debut but his shot in the dying seconds missed the Stars goals by a few inches.
Stars coach Roger de Sa inexplicably left the more experienced players, including his leading scorers Bongi Ntuli and Robert Ng’ambi, on the bench and only brought them on in the second half.
Scoring goals has been one of the main challenges for Stars with heavy reliance placed on the shoulders of Ntuli and Ng’ambi, who contributed three goals apiece.
That’s in sharp contrast to Sundowns who have been in free-scoring form, with Percy Tau, Zwane and Kekana contributing 14 of their 31 goals, with December player of the month Tau leading with seven strikes.
Siring became an instant hit with the Sundowns supporters