Absa Premiership
Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Golden Arrows
Date: 07 May 2018
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Mamelodi Sundowns took pole position in the Absa Premiership title race with a 2-0 victory over Golden Arrows at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday evening.
Downs opened the scoring with a beautifully constructed goal after just two minutes when Themba Zwane's intelligent back-heel released Hlompho Kekana in the box, with the Masandawana skipper finishing clinically on his weaker left foot in to the bottom left-hand corner.
The hosts doubled their lead just three minutes later. Arrows defender Musa Bilankulu gave the ball away sloppily and Gaston Sirino pounced to snatch back possession before playing in Zwane, who side-footed the ball powerfully past a helpless Maximilian Mbaeva and in to the back of the net. Abafana Bes'thende weren't learning from their mistakes and continued to give the ball away with regularity. But they did create the next best opportunity in the 17th minute when Danny Venter's corner caused chaos in the Sundowns' box with Kekana guilty of failing to clear before Bilankulu blazed the volley over the crossbar. Soon after, Pitso Mosimane's side almost extended their lead. Sibusiso Vilakazi played a neat one-two with Zwane but could only fire in to the side-netting from a tight angle. On the basis of this performance, the hosts looked worthy winners of the title, playing fluid football with great off-the-ball movement at an electric tempo. In the 25th minute, Tebogo Langerman came close to his second goal in as many league games. Sirino played the ball in to the feet of Vilakazi, who flicked it around the corner for the left-back who made a run from deep but unluckily hit the crossbar. Soon after, Kekana's through-ball released Vilakazi through on goal, but the playmaker's effort with the outside of his foot went narrowly wide of the left-hand upright. It could have easily been five by the half-hour mark. To be fair to Steve Komphela's side, they did improve in the final 15 minutes of the first-half and actually enjoyed the majority of the possession heading in to the interval.
View The PSL Results Here's how they lined up: Arrows started the second much better than they had the first. Ten minutes after the break, Richard Matloga's ball to the back post was blazed just wide by Venter on the volley. Soon after, Lebohang Maboe brought a smart save out of Mbaeva from the angle on the right-hand side. On the hour mark, Sanele Mathentwa's sweetly-struck volley forced Dennis Onyango in to a brilliant save. Tiyani Mabunda then came close in the 73rd minute after having just come on as a substitute when he received the ball from a throw-in and showed a great first touch before volleying towards the top corner with Mbaeva diving to his right to make the save. Soon after, Mathenjwa turned Langerman inside out but his shot was straight at Onyango from an angle on the right. It was a mere formality in the end with Sundowns closing out the victory comfortably in the end.
Sundowns: 14. Onyango, 4. Langerman, 27. Morena, 6. Arendse, 3. Nascimento, 8. Kekana, 18. Zwane, 40. Coetzee, 11. Vilakazi, 26. Sirino, 33. Maboe. Subs: 31. Pieterse, 23. Lakay, 13. Mabunda, 6. Ngcongca, 34. Mahlambi, 22. Brockie, 29. Soumahoro Arrows: 1. Mbaeva, 29. Sibisi, 28. Bilankulu, 5. Mzava, 13. Lunga, 7. Matloga, 26. Phiri, 4. Venter, 25. Motebejane, 40. Mathenjwa, 18. Mutizwa.
Subs: 33. Naicker, 14. S.Dube, 20. Mathiane, 22. Sibeko, 23. L.Dube, 34. Sabelo, 41. Lamola.
Subs: 33. Naicker, 14. S.Dube, 20. Mathiane, 22. Sibeko, 23. L.Dube, 34. Sabelo, 41. Lamola.
