Mamelodi Sundowns concluded their league campaign with a 2-0 victory on Sunday night when they hosted Magesi FC at Loftus Versfeld. Lucas Ribeiro was the hero of the night as his brace saw the team record their 15th victory in their backyard.
It only took four minutes for Masandawana to break the deadlock. It came through Arthur Sales’ awareness inside the area, who delivered it to Iqraam Rayners. With a drop of a shoulder, Rayners then handed it to Ribeiro, who only flicked it towards the goal with a backheel pass.
A few minutes later, Ribeiro almost made it two for his side. The ball came from Aubrey Modiba from a tight angle on the left flank. He crossed it to Ribeiro, whose shot deflected and went slightly wide.
In the 18th minute, Rayners drove the ball to the danger zone and shot it, but the shot was cleared by the goalkeeper with his feet. Four minutes later, a second goal was witnessed at Loftus Versfeld, and it was Ribeiro again. After being awarded a free-kick just a short distance from the area, Marcelo Allende handed the ball to Ribeiro. From range, Ribeiro shattered the net to double the advantage for Downs.
Another setpiece almost saw the Brazilians pulling a third goal before the break. Teboho Mokoena had taken the free-kick, which he fired onto the target from range. The goalkeeper, however, with his feet again and his body on the ground, kicked the ball away.
Magesi tried to take the ball to Downs’ half, but the rearguard of coach Miguel Cardoso was steadfast and cleared any chances to deny them a goal. This saw the hosts head to the interval with a two-goal advantage.
The Magesi side witnessed in the second stanza looked more threatening, and they were attacking the ball. They opened the last 45 minutes of the game by taking the ball to the danger zone. Luckily, Ronwen Williams sniffed the danger and quickly moved from his mark to snatch the ball.
For a while, the Brazilians remained patient in their half, until Modiba made an interception, then a clever defence-splitting pass to Rayners, who fired a shot, but the keeper caught it.
A mistake was made by the Downs defence near the area towards the end of the encounter, but Malibongwe Khoza managed to clear the danger away to maintain the clean sheet.
Sales came again with a big chance after Peter Shalulile handed him the ball on the right flank. His shot was smacked away to deny him his first goal of the night. It’s the visitors who concluded the match with an attempt, but Khoza, again, cleared the ball away, this time, with his chest, then a kick. In the end, Masandawana collected the maximum points and managed to maintain a clean sheet.
How we lined up: Williams ©, Mudau, Khoza, Lebusa, Modiba, Mokoena, Allende, Maema, Ribeiro, Rayners, Sales.
Subs: Onyango, Kekana, Mvala, Morena, Mkhulise, Zwane, Adams, MatthewsShalulile.
Wishing our beloved team all the best against the Pyramids and may God bless these bunch of beautiful winners.Our prayers and hopes r with them may everything they touch turn to Gold.
Go and win this champions league cup for SADC boys and be rest assured,Chiefs and Pirates are against you if not the whole of psl.
All the best for tomorrow’s game against Pyramids but I trust you boys you will make us proud.
Our big problem or downfall is the goalkeeper and Kekana,they’re too casual at the back as if we are leading by five goals to nil.
This games need to score as many goals you can but we let ourselves down,no sense of urgency just casual but anyway it’s not lost next week we will attack them from first whistle but going forward this practice must come to an end next year.
Very much disappointed with lack of discipline and professionalism in Kekana,Williams and Lebusa,If we can go to the club World Cup with those 3 players at the back with that attitude we are going to be hammered.Arrogance will take you nowhere in football,ask Rulani.People always wonder why supporters don’t pack the stadium when Sundowns play,you can’t use your hard earned money to go and watch three players playing at the back when a team plays with 11 players.Roc Nation representatives flew all the way from Europe to the disgrace Williams started at the back.Coach always had a terrible day in the office starting from team selection and substitutions,he failed to play Maema for the better part of th season in the league and play him in such a crucial game when we needed Zwane to control the tempo of the game.Ou ball rotation was slow,you could see Pyramids wanted it more and they created more opportunities than us.Now we just hope and pray for a miracle unless we change our attitude and treat final like a final.
I agree with you Muzi 100%!! Williams slows down our game unnecessarily!! He must let the infield players do the playing!! Kekana always play back wards even when up players are making runs!! He misjudged that that cross and it very difficult for other players to a ball that has taken bounce!! But I for one believe that we can score in Cairo and win the tie overall!!
I think the other problem that I noticed was that we had too many attacking players yet we did push the ball forward!! We kept most of play at the back and it became useless to have so many attacking players yet the ball was kept at back!
Our first mistake is that we were not in control of the game, we needed ball players to keep possesion of the ball when we were leading however we sat back and that killed us.Next match we need Mshishi back and play more attacking players, partner kekana with Mvala and attack from the first wisttle. Play the sundowns way.Tell Mudau to stop crosses into the box, and that means closing the opponent quickly.The line up is as follows:Williams, Mudau, Modiba, Kekana, Mvala, Mokoena, Allende, Adams, Zwane, Rebeiro, Reyners.With this line up we can beat Pyramids, and ggey are likely to play against a low block before we get a goal, lets push for that early goal and after that they will be open ,that is when we will beat them with a huge score.
Let us play the ball ,keep much possesion of the ball anx bh starvibg them of the ball the wont have opportunities.We beat them in Egypt because we believed in our attacking abilities and keepingcthe ball.we can do it next week and we gave no obtions now but to attack
Meant to say “we have no obtions but to attack”
I would rather lose the match with Kekana rather than with Mvala….as for Cardoso,I don’t know what he sees on Adams that he can’t c in Zwane,the boy does not HV any creativity yet he plays ahead of Zwane,I’m really disappointed with Cardoso
I didn’t have energy to write, yazi laba basijwayela kabi….I don’t like pointing players….but I’m tired….really what kind of approach is this..what was sundowns plan..izolo…yaz even when we scored it was not a well sundowns movement that we are known for…lapho…we’ve played our part.and fill the stadium….hayyi bo…Williams is the captain of slowing the game..4 guy’s Kekana, Lebusa, Williams, Mokwena ….what nonsense is this…hawuu everyone who can kick the ball can do this..standing alone receiving the ball look for a person who is alone pass the ball..then be in a space again 90minutes…nice!!..intelligence…really?…for goodness sake we were playing at home…obviously we needed two goals or more…le final bekumele siyiqede la ekhaya…then go and collect the trophy Egypt…yaz….now we have to go and play…cabanga second half 30minutes left..instead of taking out..Marcello and Sales and introduce Mshishi and Shasha..leave Raynes and Shasha up front..since but can be our weapon of attack and they both good in defending…look for a second goal..mabevuma..even 3 goals….cela ukusho this..un popular statement ngalomdlali engimuthandandayo….Tebza…really do need to be our last defender even when we just started the game..and leave a hole in the middle..we both know Marcello doesn’t have speed to close gaps…and why vele wena awusawadlali ama dangerous passes…you not a dangerous middle fielder…I personally Believe you share the same role as Jude Bellingham unless I don’t know soccer..well I’ll accept..that..and forget soccer….if I’m alright please watch him..or Rodri,if you can be dangerous lapho uyakwaz nokuphasa kahle..so why always pass sideways and back passes…then long passes that are missed placed…please watch your game….about second round…this team don’t have ball players but few of those are very dangerous and they aggressive they won’t allow sundowns to play qha…remember me
To summarise all the above comments it’s Williams and Kekana that is derailing our progress,the line up was very good if our goalkeeper released the ball early we would had caught that team with counter attacks.
Next week you’ll see him he will not be doing that nonsense he will have sense of urgency but once we lead by one nil he will start again inviting the opponents to come at us aggressively.
I’m happy that at CWC this delaying tactics is not allowed if you do the opponents get a corner kick,he started this since the days of Rhulani and nowadays he traps with the chest and juggles the ball and supporters cheered him instead of booing him.
Muzi the sad truth he was cheered by our very own…..WHAT A SHAME…AND SENSELESS ACT!!….club world cup..is looming but we still have stupid acts and unprofessional behavior from South Africa’s no 1….honestly..I don’t know which sundowns will turn up….sadly We can’t lose this star again….imagine to a team that has never won it…all the big boys are say..surely Sundowns know what to do…since they out……I’m telling you..if this was Aly Ahly in our shoes never will they miss such opportunities ngeke…bayanquma la..they know what it means to travel around and surely realize that big boys are out…but..thina our players need to be reminded…what nonsense