Sundowns earn dream Caf fixture

At Lucas Moripe Stadium MAMELODI Sundowns have a date with TP Mazembe, the fourtime African Champions, in the first round of the Caf Champions League next month.

It’s a dream fixture for ambitious Brazilians coach Pitso Mosimane, but he will be aware his men have to bring their Agame against the Democratic Republic of Congo side known to use every trick in the book to progress in the continent’s premier club competition.

The scoreline here last night gave the impression that the visitors, St Michel United from the Seychelles, had actually put up a bit of a fight. But lanky striker Mame Niang was the culprit — wasteful and clearly lacking in match fitness, having played a handful of games since joining Sundowns from crosstown rivals SuperSport United in August.

Mosimane’s men were perhaps tense and cautious coming into this encounter after their unexpected 1-1 draw in the first leg away from home two weeks ago.

All St Michel needed to win was to score a single goal and park the bus to get past Downs in these preliminary stages. However, they could not match their counterparts, conceding early after giving away a spot kick as early as the seventh minute. They deserve credit though for not sitting back as they tried to sneak in a goal.

But it all worked out for the hosts.

Mzikayise Mashaba, the Sundowns left back, was brought down in the box and veteran midfielder Surprise Moriri converted the penalty kick to break the deadlock.

Having been partly responsible for keeping the scoreline respectable, St Michel goalkeeper Gino Melanie gifted Sundowns the second goal in the 53rd minute.

While his opposite number Kennedy Mweene could have pulled up a chair to watch the game unfold, having only had to make one meaningful save, Melanie was kept busy.

His howler in trying to punch the ball away from danger allowed Moriri to get his and Sundowns’ second goal of the match with the simplest of strikes when he lobbed the ball over the keeper to finish. Niang’s replacement, Katlego Mashego, scored the third goal.

The Brazilians finished the game with 10 men after Mashaba was stretchered off in the 84th minute after a reckless tackle that could potentially keep him out of the crucial Absa Premiership clash against Bidvest Wits on Tuesday.

Mosimane could not make more substitutions, having used all three in a game in which Downs got the result but wouldn’t have worried TP Mazembe.