Class Sundowns sink AmaZulu
PRESSURE: PIRATES AND CHIEFS PLAYING CATCH-UP
Away win points means Downs remain top of the table.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ 3-1 Absa Premiership victory away to AmaZulu last night has piled up the pressure on chasers Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, who square off this afternoon in the Soweto derby at the FNB Stadium.
The league pacesetters have now stretched their lead to seven points at the summit ahead of Milutin Sredojević’s second placed Buccaneers.
Pitso Mosimane’s team got their job done at a packed-to-therafters King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, where Brazilian-born defender Ricardo Nascimento was the one who opened the scoring in the 24th minute from the penalty spot after Percy Tau was brought down by Sadat Ouro-Akoriko.
Mosimane handed goalkeeper Brimah Razak his first match since October when Downs lost 2-1 to the same AmaZulu. The Ghanaian international made a howler by handling the ball as they conceded an indirect free kick.
Razak handled after losing control from a Nascimento back pass. Mhlengi Cele did well to drill a hole through an eight-man Sundowns wall to equalise for Usuthu in the 37th minute.
Cavin Johnson’s hand was forced into making an early substitution just before Cele’s goal as midfielder Samuel Mensah Darpoh pulled his right calf muscle. Nkosingiphile Ncobeni came on for his league his third appearance this season.
It didn’t take long for Masandawana to restore their lead, with Sibusiso Vilakazi scoring Sundowns’ second goal just four minutes from the restart.
Vilakazi added his second goal of the game and fourth league goal of the season at the stroke of the hour mark.
However, AmaZulu felt that Vilakazi’s goal was offside. The supporters joined in the protest as they threw missiles towards the Sundowns technical area, forcing Mosimane’s technical team and substitutes to move into the pitch for safety. The match officials temporarily halted the game for about 10 minutes.
However, as soon as normality was restored, Mosimane withdrew Nascimneto and brought on Motjeka Madisha.
Man-of-the-match Vilakazi made way for George Lebese, who made a cameo appearance in the closing five minutes of the game after being on the sidelines since January.