ABSA Premiership
Result: Sundowns 2-2 Wits
Date: 18 May 2013
Venue: Lucas Moripe Stadium
Mamelodi Sundowns drew 2-2 with Bidvest Wits at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday as the Brazilian missed out on a top eight finish.
Sundowns entered the game on a good run of form, having won three league games in a row and beaten Pirates last weekend.
Wits have a bad record against Sundowns, winning only 4 matches and losing 16 in their last 26 games. The two teams have played each other 54 times in the league since 1985.
The game started at a low pace, with no major incidents in the opening 10 minutes. Thamsanqa Sangweni tried his luck with a shot from more than 35 yards out on 13 minutes, but it went wide.
Siboniso Gumede was given the chance to open the scoring with a long-range free kick, but it missed the right post and went out of play. Neither side took the initiative and play was relatively even throughout the first 40 minutes.
However, the last five minutes of the half were explosive. First, Elias Pelembe set up Richard Henyekane, who opened the scoring for Downs by rifling into the roof of the net from 12 yards out. Just two minutes later and Wits were level. Vilakazi’s shot was saved by Sandilands but Ryan Chapman was there to sweep home into the bottom left corner.
And a minute later, Wits went ahead thanks to the left foot of Bryce Moon. He was set up by Tinashe Nengomasha and finished into the centre of goal to give the Clever Boys the lead at half time.
Shortly after the break, Mzikayise Mashaba had his shot saved. It looked as though the game would enter its usual pattern but on 56 minutes, everything changed.
Richard Henyekane tried to level the scores with a shot, but he saw it saved. Siboniso Gumede committed a foul on Elias Pelembe, which earned the Wits player his second yellow card. He was sent off as Downs pressed their advantage, and it was Alje Schut who scored. Modise crossed and Schut headed into the top right corner.
The next 20 minutes saw shots from both teams, but nothing really troubled either keeper. As the game was coming to a close, Esrom Nyandoro was shown yellow for unsporting behaviour following a foul on Vilakazi. But Wits couldn’t make anything of the free kick and the match ended 2-2.
Sundowns: Wayne Sandilands, Tebogo Langerman, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Alje Schut, Wayne Arendse, Tsholofelo Modise, Elias Pelembe, Hlompo Kekana, Thamsanqa Sangweni, Richard Henyekane, Nyasha Mushekwi.
Wits: Tyrone Damons, Sipho Mngomezulu, Siboniso Gumede, Sandile Sibande, Thomas Sweswe, Bryce Moon, Mzikayise Mashaba, Faty Papy, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Tinashe Nengomasha, Ryan Chapman.
