The match against Chippa United for Mamelodi Sundowns signaled the halfway mark in the 2020/21 season. The coaching staff made a few changes as the Brazilians welcomed Ricardo Nascimento, Lyle Lakay, Andile Jali, Siphelele Mkhulise and Gaston Sirino into the starting line up. Going into this clash the side from Port Elizabeth had never beaten Masandawana.
In the second minute of the game, the life of Motjeka “Ace” Madisha was celebrated as both sides had a moment to honour the fallen hero.
Masandawana showed from the start that this game is a must-win, Andile Jali had an opportunity in the eighth-minute as Lebohang Maboe had laid the ball for him but his shot sailed wide. Romeo had a chance to open the account for the day but his shot went past the visitor’s goalposts. In the 23rd minute, Maboe made a great run from the blindside and was picked up by Peter Shalulile to score the first goal of the day and his first for the season. Themba Zwane got a great pass from Maboe but his shot was saved by the keeper Ayanda Mtshali. Kermit Erasmus found himself in a one-on-one situation with Isaac Nhlapo, the diminutive striker found a way past the defender and his resulting chip sailed above the crossbar. With the first half coming to an end a neat assist from Shalulile found Sirino in the box and the Uruguayan just passed the ball into the back of the net for the second goal of the day.
The second half saw more of the same as Mamelodi Sundowns kept on pressing Chippa United, Maboe saw his shot saved by Mtshali, Zwane also had his shot saved on the line and it looked like it hit the defenders hand. The number of chances created was pilling up as Lakay also has his opportunity but his shot went wide. Shalulile was pushing hard and hoping to put his name on the scoresheet but Mtshali was having it the other way as he saved another attempt from the Namibian.
Mosa Lebusa thought he had his first goal of the season but was judged to be offside. The Brazilians kept pushing, Gift Motupa who came in as a substitute and made his debut had a chance to find the back of the net but his header went above the post.
Masandawana ends the first half of the 2020/21 DStv Premiership on top and have not lost a game, with Denis Onyango claiming his 10th clean sheet of the season so far.
How we lined up: Onyango, Maboe, Lebusa, Nascimento, Lakay, Jali (70′ Coetzee), Mkhulise ( 84′ Modiba), Sirino, Zwane (70′ Domingo), Erasmus (61′ Kapinga), Shalulile
Subs: Goss, Motupa, Modiba, Kapinga, Domingo, Kapinga, MkhizeMaluleka, Coetzee, Vilakazi
Well done team. You guys totally outplayed chippa, however please practice to be clinical because you will never know what’s gonna in the coming months
We played really well, but the finishing left much to be desired. Some of the misses were just inexplicable for the professionals of our players’ calibre. Chippa United hardly offered any resistance and we really should’ve buried them. What a let-off
I think as Downs family, we all worried by the finishing touch of our players. Games that we were suppose to win with a big margin just end up in 2-1, 1-0 and I think that is not what a team of Downs’ calibre should be settling for. Especially because everyone in Sundowns can score goals should they wish to do so. Sirino can.Same goes to Mshishi, Kapinga, Romeo,Shalulile,with the introduction of Motupa, while we still have Villa, opponents should be left scrathing their heads not knowing who to stop.But we are not as sharp as one would have thought.And importantly is for the boys to try to shoot especially when around the box,not every ball will be swept into the net.We need to improve there.
Sirino, Erasmus and even Mshishi sometimes play just for fun and do not bury teams when needed to
Good game, but the finishing of our players let us down, we could score more than 10 goals in that game, this is the same problem we had in our previous games. Our technical team must work very hard in that aspect, maybe to hire a stricker coach will be a solution.
Missed chances: Zwane 2, Erasmus 1, Shalulile 2, Lakay 1, Sirino 1, Motupa 1
Our players sometimes their decision making in the final third is not good but they must try to convert those chances so to release pressure from our defenders
Missed chances and poor decision making cost us about 3 to 4 two points I mean those games ended in draw 3 to 4 games