Absa Premiership
Full Time: Baroka FC 1-2 Mamelodi Sundowns
Date: 08 April 2018
Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium
Mamelodi Sundowns extended their lead at the top of the Absa Premiership table to four points after beating Baroka FC 2-1 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was a positive start to the match for Sundowns, who had the first shot on goal in the fifth minute, but Sibusiso Vilakazi saw his 20-yard effort well-saved by the Baroka keeper.
The home side suffered a bit of a setback in the 13th minute when Talent Chawaphiwa had to leave the field with an injured hamstring and was replaced by Robin Ngalande.
That, however, did not seem to slow down Baroka, who took the lead in the 21st minute when Lucky Nguzana met a short corner-kick to volley the ball down into the ground before bouncing into the net to give them the lead, 1-0.
Sundowns should have leveled matters on the half hour mark when Gaston Sirino broke into the box from the right and squared for an unmarked Khama Billiat, but his 10-yard volley struck the top side of the crossbar.
The Brazilians continued to throw players forward and managed to equalise a minute before the break when Wayne Arendse headed home a short corner at the back post, 1-1.
Six minutes into the second half, Sundowns took the lead when Sibusiso Vilakazi drove into the box from the right, beating two defenders before squaring for Pau, who tucked the ball home from eight-yards out, 2-1.
The next chance on goal only came in the 71st minute when Tau played Billiat into space inside the box, but the Sundowns man shot straight at the keeper who made a comfortable save.
The pace of the game slowed after that and the Brazilians cruised to a rather comfortable 2-1 win.
Here is how they line up.
Baroka: 33 Dlamini, 2 Kgoetyane, 24 Banda, 4 Madubanya, 29 Mohwatseleng, 7 Chawaphiwa (17 Ngalande 13'), 15 Mothupa, 8 Mdantsane (25 Sodi 78'), 13 Sidumo (11 Matloga 63'), 23 Kgaswane, 9 Nguzana.
Subs: 16 Vries, 11 Matloga, 14 Mosele, 17 Ngalande 18 T Mapheto, 25 Sodi, 38 Mabotja.
Sundowns: 14 Onyango, 27 Morena, 6 Arendse, 16 Nascimento, 4 Langerman, 33 Billiat (19 Brockie 85'), 13 Madunda, 8 Kekana, 26 Sirino (7 Manyisa 75'), 11 Vilakazi (18 Zwane 73'), 22 Tau.
Subs: 1 Mweene, 32 Madisha, 18 Zwane, 17 Lebese, 38 Zulu, 19 Brockie, 7 Manyisa.
