Nedbank Cup - Last 32

 

Score: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Thanda Royal Zulu 

 

Date: 21 February 2015

 

Venue: Loftus Stadium

 

Mamelodi Sundowns booked their spot in the Nedbank Cup Last 16 with a 2-0 win over Thanda Royal Zulu at Loftus Stadium on Saturday evening.

 

Sundowns dominated the opening exchanges as expected, as Thanda were quite happy to sit back and catch the Brazilians on the break.

 

However, despite Sundowns' dominance, they failed to trouble the visitors in the final third and were restricted to long range efforts for large parts of the first half.

 

The visitors had the first real opportunity in the 27th minute, but Phumelele Bhengu ended up poking the ball wide of the upright from six-yards out.

 

Sundowns went close in the 36th minute, as Teko Modise picked out Alje Schut with a delightful free-kick but the Dutchman's header sailed inches wide of the upright.

 

Pitso Mosimane was not happy with his side's display and ended up replacing Anthony Laffor with Hlompho Kekana in the 40th minute.

 

Sundowns broke the deadlock five minutes after the halftime break courtesy of a towering header from Schut.

 

Malajila came close to increasing the Brazilians' advantage in the 70th minute but the striker's header powerful header sailed inches over the crossbar.

 

Sundowns' passage into the next round was sealed in the 76th minute courtesy of a well-taken penalty from Modise, after Siyanda Zwane was brought down in the area.

 

Kekana nearly rounded off the scoring with one of his trademark strikes in the 88th minute but his effort was palmed away by Samkelo Mbambo.

 

Here's how they lined up:

 

Mamelodi Sundowns: Onyango, Mashaba, S Zwane, Schut, Mphahlele, Zungu, Laffor, Modise, Mahachi, Billiat, Malajila

 

Thanda Royal Zulu: Mbambo, Sekete, Mazibuko, Hlophe, Zitha, Maela, Ncobeni, Ntuli, Thopola, Nene, Bhengu