Betway Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns moved six points clear of Orlando Pirates with a 2-0 win over Richards Bay FC on Saturday afternoon.
Betway Premiership
Result: Richards Bay 0-2 Mamelodi Sundowns
Date: 28 December 2024
Venue: King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium
Sundowns made six changes from their last-minute win against Richards Bay, as goalkeeper Denis Onyango, Grant Kekana, Thapelo Morena, Terrence Mashego, Bathusi Aubaas and Arthur Sales were brought in.
The Brazilians were looking to break the lines in the opening exchanges after Lucas Ribeiro Costa came close with a diagonal shot that moss narrowly wide after he went through on goal.
Masandawana eventually beat the offside trap on 18 minutes after Sales opened the scoring with a low finish from a defence splitting pass by Ribeiro.
Richards Bay were threatening to equalise after that as just before the half-hour mark Yamela Mbuthuma was unfortunate with a diagonal header that lobbed Onyango but missed the far top corner by a whisker.
Miguel Cardoso's charges slowed down the pace of the game in the closing stages of the first stanza, with spells of possession but they could not create chances, as they settled for a narrow lead at halftime.
Richards Bay were spirited from the break as seven minutes into the second stanza Mbuthuma came very close to making it 1-1 with a free header that crashed the crossbar from a cross by Lwandile Mabuya.
With Sundowns subdued, the Portuguese coach changed his attacking formation on the hour-mark, as Iqraam Rayners replaced Sales and Tashreeq Matthews came on for Kobamelo Kodisang.
The Tshwane giants clicked better going forward as four minutes later Costa doubled their lead with a curling low shot that found the bottom corner.
The Natal Rich Boyz threw in experienced strikers Justice Figuareido and Thabiso Kutumela in the last 20 minutes to reinforce their attack.
Siphiwe Mcineka almost pulled a goal back for the hosts in the dying minutes with a header at the back post that came off the post.
Masandawana were comfortable in the tail end as they stretched their lead at the top of the log to six points, ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates, who have two games in hand.
Here's how they lined up:
Richards Bay: 16. Magoola, 22. Mabuya, 5. Allan, 25. Mcineka, 3. Ndaba, 6. Mthethwa, 17. Gumede, 36. Zikhali, 20. Mthembu, 45. Ntsundwana, 9. Mbuthuma.
Subs: 1. Otieno, 72. Mabua, 27. Ntlonelo, 38. Dlamini, 18. Dube, 11. Kutumela, 35. Ndelu, 26. Radebe, 23. Figareido.
Mamelodi Sundowns: 1. Onyango, 14. Mashego, 15. Aubaas, 20. Kekana, 6. Modiba, 42. Khoza, 4. Mokoena, 10. Ribeiro, 19. Kodisang, 27. Morena, 9. Sales
Subs: 36. February, 23. De Reuck, 29. Lunga, 39. Maboe, 12. Maema, 17. Matthews, 43. Lethakhu, 13. Rayners, 38. Shalulile
