Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City played out a 1-1 draw in a thrilling Absa Premiership clash at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Tuesday evening.
Hlompho Kekana scored one of his trademark scotchers from outside the box, while Dove Edmilson equalized for the Cape Town side.
Former City player Lyle Lakay almost registered his name on the scoresheet when he found himself in the opposition box, but saw his effort saved by the towering goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh.
There was no stopping Sundowns Captain and Absa Premiership reigning midfielder of the season Kekana, who first blazed a City player before letting rip just outised the centerline to score an absolute contender for goal of the season. The City Keeper could only stand and watch in amazement, as Kekana did what he’s become known for, season after season.
After the goal, City suddenly woke up and took the game to the home team and eventually drew level in the 25th minute.
Edmilson got on the end of corner kick and converted from a tight position to bring the visitors level.
Sundowns and City continued exchanging blows, looking for the all important goal. Kermit Erasmus and Thato Mokeke combined well to unlock the Sundowns defence but failed to beat Denis Onyango, leaving the scoreline at 1-1 at halftime.
Veteran defender Wayne Arendse was close to putting Sundowns ahead once again but his effort crashed into the woodwork from a corner kick.
Sundowns suffered an injury blow in the second half when substitute attacker Keletso Makgalwa was caught on the Achilles in a challenge and eventually had to be replaced by Anele Ncgongca just 13 minutes after being brought on.
LINEUPS:
Sundowns: Onyango, Morena, Arendse, Lebusa, Lakay, Sirino (Makgalwa 63’ [Ncgongca 76’]), Kekana, Coetzee, Zwane, Vilakazi (Mkhulise 87’), Maboe
City: Leeuwenburgh, Mkhize, Cupido, Edmilson, Seedat, Martin, Mobara, Mokeke, Ralani (Kewuti 78’), Makola (Norodien 85’), Erasmus (Mthembu 72’)
We love coach Piston, but he is dividing the team or should I say KILLING our team , I don’t think he takes advice from any one…. I but yerstday was evident,and it’s will be like we don’t like the coach..it fine we can loose but all happy with our performance…if u can as Keke after a marvelous goal…and u draw a game in that manner…We are not single out Villa alone here but he is costing us… Masadawana if this thing is seen by us , what about Players, sure it’s killing them…Pisto is patient with particular players..not with some players that is dividing… Masadawana asibeni neqiniso….why we bought Players like JALI who are possible no 1 earning player..and don’t believe in them…and support them coz we all know what he can do… False no9…yes works but not every game…but we don’t have a second plan…. what is ur opinion…. guys. Yerstday I wrote Sundowns just don’t know which games not to loose.u can see my list.. below
Masandawana. What a cracker from super captain but ya scoring such a beautiful goal and come out with a draw is unjustifiable. I somehow agree with you my brother, Villa and Sirino are costing the team. Opposition teams now know our way of play and we don’t implement plan B, NOT because we don’t have but we don’t believe in other players. I’m sure the likes of Jali and Tade can give us that but ya singobani thina to say that. I personally don’t appreciate this draw, yes Benni planned for us but with the quality we have NO NO NO.
Can our technical team humble themselves and agree we now need few new tactics, we NOT bad though but few players need rest.
Moeketsi,my Broe,I think the most important point u stated here is it’s the QUALITY of Sundowns team’s should be shaking when playing us… that’s what frustrating the supporters..we are not an average team…plz no no no!!!!we are not going to accept under performance from a team of Sundowns QUALITY… LET’S be honest…who can confidently say we are winning at the weekend…in CAF look we are playing at home but I don’t know what is going to happen…. I’m staying in DBN but have my doubts come to the game…blv me I still have last season pains when we play a goalless draw….try driving up and go back after that loose…not that we will win all…but loose with dignity and pride…who can blame u…
Do Vilakazi n Maboe hv a clause in their contracts dat says they cannot be substituted? If not,I’m surprised that they played more than 80min in yesterday’s game cos both of them were passengers,Pitso needs to do away with his favouritism
Boh and Zipho, I am in total agreement with you guys. Coach Pitso is a great gaffer, there’s no question about that. However, his downfall will come from the soft spot he develops for some players at the expense of the team. Vila and Maboe can be replaced by better players who currently sit on the stands. I hope the Coach does read these messages.
Coach Pitso, we love you to bits but please practice fairness. Vila and Maboe are costing us games. If you can replace Sirino when he is not at his best, what’s so special about these two players?
I concur with most of the points that are mentioned here! Serino has not played well since our last few games last year but yesterday he was far much better than Vila and Maboe. The fact that Maboe was not even substituted after playing such a useless and wasteful game surprises me. We have signed offensive players that deserve to be given a chance as well. When i looked at the line – up there was only one offinsive player that was Keletso! The rest were midfielders and defenders. What happened to Tade, Meza and Ngoma? We sign offensive players and the coach that brought them to the team does not even given them a chance! Playing Maboe as a false 9 will come back to haunt us! He is not protecting the ball at all for the midfielders to join in. He gives away possession so easily! For the coach to give 90 minutes considering his performances amounts to nothing else other than favoritism. In attack we play with players that are very similar in style. They like to turn a lot when they are in possession of the ball instead of being direct at times. The coaching staff seem to run out of idea when they their plan A does not deliver the results. This game, against Cape Town City, reminded me of the game we played against Wydad lastime! Even if we were given 120 minutes we could not have won those games.
I fully agree with the above comments made by you Dawanas,once Pitso loves you that particular player will always playing. He complain about other players sulking,players are not stupid no one will continue supporting those who are playing even they performed below par.
Pitso need someone who will guide him like Technical Director every big clubs does have them so why he’s afraid of him its because he knows very well he will not do the way he likes like his favouritism, recently he said Mobie will be loaned without trying him and he knows better that Ngcongca is injury prone and Mobbie can even play on central defence with Lebusa because Arendse is old and that thing of playing Rivaldo on middle field is also causing other players to sulk.
I wish those players can ask for a transfer before the window closes because I don’t see them playing under the same coach who brought them to Sundowns and it’s very painfully to see a good passer like Mohomi always sitting on grandstand.Our players are not selected on merit but favouritism sometimes I wish we should stop singing at the stadium and remind him of what happened to him before while he was escorted with players and securities.Our obstacle is gone to Zamalek (Micho)so I don’t see any coach disturbing us but Pitso will make them do that even Seema at Celtic is giving him sleepless night no its total wrong,Kby forever
Useless Pitso and his favoutes players ( Villa and Maboe) are costing our lovely team.
I wish for Pitso to win the 3rd League tittle in a row and the tenth title for Downs. That is my wish for Pitso. When some of us talked about his favouritism, bad starting linup, bad subs, lack of variety in tactics & personel, bringing players to Downs and not playing them and lack of softer skills like man management, a couple of the guys here were unhappy with us. If the coach care about the teams morale, support and team spirit, he better find the solution asap otherwise some of his players together with the HATERS are going to REJOICE when things go downhill. I also don’t like the conversion of Rivaldo to number six (at least not regularly) and one other point our defense together with Onyango are also failling to defend set-pieces, since the new season began it’s happened in the game against Chippa & now Cape Town City exactly the same way.
I was also surprised last nite why the coach didn’t effect subs when it was pretty obvious that it was necessary. Ralani and Erusmus were giving us a horrid of a time upfront and they were both substituted because they were tired, our coach continued with tired individuals, hoping for miracles that didn’t happened. If favoritism rumor is true, then he’s on the wrong dangerous path, of his own making.
Fellow Sandawans I too feel the pain, for the past 3 or 4 seasons we have been poor in defending set pieces, I can’t remember us scoring a descent free kick, the technical teams knows this weakness bt have done nothing abt it, a team of Sundowns quality should sign players who are comfortable on the ball, good first touches, hunger to win as well, for the life of me Wayne still controls the ball the way we from the villages do, with no skill and always hv to defend trapping the ball, as a professional footballer should u the even be signed if u can’t hold the ball and be comfortable on the ball, the crosses are pathetic, Maboe dsnt know what to do when he gets the ball, Villa is super slow in deciding and makes stray passes, sirino going throu a rough patch, personally I love fast football, that’s what I played at Wits as a student. Sometimes I still feel I can run faster than Villa at my 37 yrs, I’m not crushing Villa but so too late s Mshishi, not so fast but he makes up for his slowness, was Mahlambi injured, I dnt even know who is available at sundowns no more, are the players who even injured, for those who don’t know me, I’ve been a fan since 1989, out fellow downs were no3 behind chiefs and Arcadia bush bucks, so I know how it feels like to feel the pain
I meant are players even injured at Sundowns, our own website never informs us
Players Sundowns need to offload: Sirino, Mogomi, Mhlambi, Meza, Brockie, Soumahoro, Jali, Langerman & Lekay seem to play same football with no plan B, one must face the chop
as long as u have a couch who doesn’t believe in youth the is no future going forward .