Hat-trick hero Zwane is leading Downs’ charge

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (3)(4) Zwane 19’, 21’, 30’, Shalulile 55’

AMAZULU (1)(3) Majoro 15’, Memela (p) 48’, Khumalo 59’

THERE’S Mamelodi Sundowns and then there’s Themba Zwane. That the former are top of the Premiership standings after four rounds of matches in their bid to defend their crown is largely due to the latter.

Three wins in four matches this season is hardly a Sundowns record but the Brazilians are notorious slow starters, having had to juggle between local and continental football in the last seven years.

But with their focus solely on the domestic season, with their Caf Champions League campaign set to commence next month, they find themselves top of the pile with three wins and a draw.

And Zwane reminded all and sundry that his coronation as last season’s PSL Footballer of the Season was no fluke with a hat-trick in just 10 firsthalf minutes at Loftus yesterday.

AmaZulu opened the scoring. During a casual interchange with Motjeka Madisha, captain of the day Ricardo Nascimento saw his back-pass intercepted by Lehlohonolo Majoro, who slotted past Kennedy Mweene.

Sundowns conceded for the first time in the league this season but Zwane soon took matters into his hands, scoring his first goal with a clinical low, hard strike from close range after a through ball from Peter Shalulile.

And Zwane would return with something special. He intercepted a loose ball, rolled it onto his weaker left foot and curled a sumptuous finish past Siyabonga Mbatha to give the Brazilians the lead.

But Zwane was not done. The 31-year-old scored his third on the half-hour after a selfless assist from Kermit Erasmus. But the Tembisa-born player didn’t only contribute in attack. Defensively, he was also present.

While Zwane received a yellow card for changing his shirt without referee Cedric Muvhali’s permission in the second half, Nascimento had a bad day and conceded a penalty.

Luvuyo Memela stepped up to take the responsibility and reduced the deficit to one goal, but Shalulile would soon score his second goal in Sundowns colours, heading home after Mbatha missed the ball in no man’s land. Soon thereafter, Usuthu were back in the game, Sandile Khumalo heading his team’s third from a Mulenga corner-kick after Mweene let the ball slip through his hands and legs. But Zwane, who has scored four league goals this season, ensured that Sundowns bagged the three points.

This was his fifth goal in a week, having scored a brace when Bafana Bafana beat Sao Tome and Principe in the second leg of their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, last Monday.

Meanwhile, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila edged neighbours Baroka FC 1-0 at Thohoyandou Stadium, while Cape Town City trounced Bloemfontein Celtic 4-2 at Cape Town Stadium in the Premiership yesterday.