Mamelodi Sundowns ended their 2019 league campaign with a 1-0 win against a tough Polokwane City side.
Pitso Mosimane made two changes from the side that drew with Wits in midweek, with Tebogo Langerman and Lebohang Maboe returning to the starting XI.
Downs came out of the blocks firing and their first chance came inside three minutes, Sphelele Mkhulise’s close-range header being saved by George Chigova in goals.
Downs created several chances, with Gaston Sirino and Themba Zwane looking to unlock the organized Polokwane defence. Mkhulise had the best chance of the first half, he was found unmarked at the far post by Zwane but was unable to steer his chance into the goal.
The two sides went into the break on level terms.
The second half saw more of the same as the first half, with Downs controlling possession and creating all the chances. Chigova made a number of key saves to keep out strikes from Langerman and Sirino.
Pitso Mosimane rang the changes as he brought on Sibusiso Vilakazi twenty minutes into the second half as he looked to change up the attack.
The change would end up proving to be fruitful as Vilakazi tapped home four minutes from time after excellent work from Thapelo Morena on the right-hand side. Vilakazi’s goal was his second in the Absa Premiership this season and helped The Brazilians walk away with all three points.
Mamelodi Sundowns (86′ Vilakazi) 1 – 0 Polokwane City
Starting Lineups
Sundowns: Onyango, Morena, Madisha, Lebusa, Langerman, Mkhulise, Kekana, Jali, Zwane, Sirino, Maboe
Subs: Mweene, Arendse, Vilakazi, Mabunda, Ngcongca, Meza, Ngoma
Polokwane City: Chigova, Mvelase, Motloung, Nthatheni, Hlongwane, Nku, Tlolane, Manaka, Phiri, Mashumba, Booi
Subs: Phali, Anas, Nene, Maluleke, Hlubi, Musona, Nkili
hard earned points but a good advice to our coach is to find someone to play with Jali in that centre of the park not Kekana. He has done everything for the club but the fact is he is severely slowing down.
@ Billy, respectfully fellow Sandawana, I think Kekana was more instrumental defensively in the Polokwane game. He needed to be, especially because Ngcongca was on the bench and both full backs were overlapping a lot more. It is not fair to criticize our captain so severely after the team successfully kept a clean sheet and collected much-needed 3 points despite the finishers wasting so many opportunities on the night.
Well done boys I would like to wish our President the technical team management team medical team the players and last but not least the supporters of this great team a well deserved Xmas and a proserous New year. KBY I remain’t
Seconded Billy,Kekana is finished he must be rested and all his passes are not good anymore but you’ll not find the coach blaming him.
Another player that is killing Dawana is none other than Maboe tjoo that boy is below par I don’t know what happened to him,kby forever
Member we are unfair if we are sitting there criticizing our players, Kekana was very instrumental in the Telkom cup game and he is forever delivering. I think right now the team is doing well players like Maboe are coming back from the injuries, the good news is that almost all the players are playing. let us support our players without grumbling. we wished for the Telkom cup, it is delivered but still we are grumbling. I think we need to check how our team plays before we complain. check the position of our midfielders, they change from time to time depending on the opposition we are facing. sometimes Hlompho plays behind the strikers and keep a high line or play just in front of the defenders and create from there the same with Mkhulise, Villa etc, defenders as well hence that is why many players after acquisition fail to adapt to our style of play.
Good performance from the boys, lots of chances created but luck was not on our side. However we got what matters most, 3 points which put us back in the title race. During the transfer window if we can get Kermit Erasmus & Aubrey Modiba to sharpen our attack/ improve our attacking speed and Thamsanqa Mkhize to stabilize our defence. I believe with the addition of those players we could be unstoppable.