Absa Premiership
Result: Polokwane City 0-2 Mamelodi Sundowns
Date: 07 August 2018
Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium
Lebohang Maboe netted on his full debut for Mamelodi Sundowns, as the Absa Premiership champions defeated Polokwane City 2-0 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
The start of the match was delayed by 10 minutes due to the bad lighting at the venue.
Once the encounter got underway, the visitors dominated possession in the early stages but it was Polokwane who nearly opened the scoring when Vusimuzi Mngomezulu dragged his wide after being played in by Jabulani Maluleke on 12 minutes.
With 18 minutes played, Ricardo Nascimento, who was on target against Kaizer Chiefs, made it two goals in two games as he got ahead of his marker to head home Gaston Sirino's cross.
Rise and Shine, meanwhile, found it tough to get their attacking game going, having been quite sloppy on the ball in the middle of the park.
The half ended on a sour note for the visitors as goalkeeper Denis Onyango was stretchered off after taking an elbow to the neck. He was replaced by Kennedy Mweene.
Polokwane nearly restored parity on the stroke of halftime as through Wagaba, who fired his low effort just wide of the upright as the score remained 1-0 to Sundowns as the sides entered the break.
Maboe, who was making his full debut, doubled Sundowns' lead eight minutes into the second half with a superb header into the far corner following a pin-point set-piece from Lyle Lakay.
Rise and Shine responded with a change on the hour mark, with Mbulelo Wagaba making way for Walter Musona.
Eight minutes later, Pitso Mosimane opted for a change of his own as Ali Meza replaced Jeremy Brockie as the visitors looked to see out the remaining stages.
Sadly, the rest of the second half failed to provide any goal-mouth entertainment, with Sundowns content with the scoreline while Polokwane posed no threat in the final third.
In the end, 2-0 was how the score remained as Sundowns register their first win of the new season.
Subs: 30. Ndlovu, 24. Hlongwane, 26. Nkili, 14. Manaka, 12. Sikhondze, 15. Musona, 10. Tlolane.
Sundowns: 14. Onyango (Mweene 45+4'), 23. Lakay, 27. Morena, 3. Nascimento, 32. Madisha, 13. Mabunda, 26. Sirino, 20. Manyisa, 18. Zwane, 33. Maboe, 22. Brockie.
