Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Maritzburg United
Date: 05 May 2021
Venue: Loftus Versfeld
Mamelodi Sundowns extended their lead at the top of the DStv Premiership table to four points with a 2-0 win over Maritzburg United on Wednesday afternoon.
Sundowns made two enforced changes from the win over Orlando Pirates, as Andile Jali and Gift Motupa replaced the injured Lebogang Maboe and Kermit Erasmus while United were unchanged from the draw with Swallows FC.
Mosa Lebusa thought he had opened the scoring for the Brazilians in the fifth minute after finishing off a cross by Aubrey Modiba at the back post but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The Masandawana coaches were forced to make a change seven minutes later after Themba Zwane was forced off with a hamstring injury, which saw Promise Mkhuma get the nod ahead of Sibusiso Vilakazi.
Shalulile came close twice within a minute to breaking the deadlock for the hosts after rattling the upright with a low half-volley while his towering header from the resultant corner came off the crossbar.
At the other end, Bongokuhle Hlongwane should have given Ernst Middendorp's charges the lead in the 23rd minute after latching onto a free-kick to go clear on goal at the back post but his lob over goalkeeper Denis Onyango sailed over the bar.
Ricardo Nascimento eventually broke the deadlock for Masandawana six minutes before the break with a powerful penalty after Clayton Daniels brought down Gift Motupa in the box.
Sundowns picked up from where they left off in the first half, as Nascimento nearly doubled their lead six minutes into the second stanza with a header from a corner that sailed inches wide of the target.
Middendorp responded with an attacking change on the hour-mark, with Sibusiso Hlubi replacing Daniel Morgan while the hosts were forced into another change two minutes later, as Mothibi Mvala replaced Sphelele Mkhulise, who was stretchered off.
Mvala's arrival paid dividends as the midfield delightfully teed up Motupa, who drilled the ball into the far corner to double Sundowns' lead with 19 minutes left.
Masandawana made a triple change in the last quarter of an hour to rest some legs, as Lyle Lakay, Lesedi Kapainga and Mauricio Affonso came on for Modiba Mkhuma and Motupa as the hosts held on for the clean sheet to go with three points.
Sundowns: 14. Onyango, 5. Lebusa, 3. Nascimento, 41. Coetzee, 27. Morena, 47. Modiba, 15. Jali, 21. Mkhulise, 18. Zwane, 19. Motupa, 38. Shalulile,
Subs: 1. Mweene, 9. Affonso, 36. Mkhuma, 6. B.Onyango, 7. Lakay, 25. Mudau, 22. Kapinga, 41. Mvala, 24. Vilakazi.
Maritzburg: 31. Engelhardt, 16. Daniels, 5. Morgan, 4. Allie, 11. Tlolane, 42. Rae, 22. Stevic, 6. Graham, 17. Claasen, 21. Hlongwane, 7. Kutumela.
Subs: 30. Mpandle, 28. Hlubi, 45. Mngonyama, 26. Shandu, 25. Ismail, 33. Ngwane, 19. Hachi, 15. Ntshangase.
