Mamelodi Sundowns registered a fine win over Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Cassius Mailula’s first-half winner sent The Brazilians into their 15th consecutive win in the DStv Premiership and moved the striker to his sixth goal in the league.
Masandawana was absolutely spot on right from the beginning as they looked brilliant with the ball in their possession. It took only five minutes for the defending Champions to find the back of Sipho Chaine’s net and settled into the game away from home.
The Buccaneers had their first chance at goal when they were awarded with a free kick, Monnapule Saleng aimed his shot into the box but was unfortunate at goal as Thapelo Morena headed the ball and Ronwen Williams pushed the ball out. Deon Hotto followed with another attempt for the home team with his shot being saved by Williams.
Downs midfielder Sphelele Mkhulise was brought down a few meters away from the box, Neo Maema stepped up in front of the ball and took a long range shot on target to find Chaine who made the save. The Sea Robbers were adamant to find a quick equalizing goal with multiple attempts going forward, just before the half hour mark Pirates spent time in Williams box trying to find a goal passing the ball amongst each other and eventually Kermit Erasmus took a shot only to be blocked by Morena.
Mailula came close to extending the lead for Sundowns when he was set up in attack but the Pirates defense was solid and forced him to play the ball to Khuliso Mudau whose strike was met by the goalkeeper. Chaine put the Buccaneers back in the attacking line and The Brazilians fell under pressure causing a foul. Saleng’s free kick went straight towards goal but the defensive work of Mothobi Mvala put the ball out above Williams’ posts and the game went into the break with a 1-0 lead for Bafana Ba Style.
Pirates kicked off the second half of the game and continued to put the visiting team under pressure as they created chances, in the 50th minute Tapelo Xoki put his head on to Saleng’s in coming shot but the defender misdirected his shot off target. Vincent Pule was in action as he took on Downs defense and put his shot towards goal but hit the bottom of the goalposts and his teammate Bandile Shandu had a rebound shot which was comfortably picked up by Williams.
It was sixty minute that Masandawana finally had the chance to extend the lead, Mudau won the ball from the back and found Themba Zwane upfront with Peter Shalulile against one defender, Mshishi went for goal but the Pirates keeper opened up his body to keep his team in the game and made a save. Mkhulise and Shalulile made their way off the pitch as Sipho Mbule and Aubrey Modiba were introduced followed by Thapelo Morena who exchanged with Sifiso Ngobeni.
After seventy minutes of play The Buccaneers played the ball behind the defenders with Saleng running on to the ball but the brilliant Williams got off his line to cancel the attack. Bafana Ba Style came close to doubling their lead again, Maema and Teboho Mokoena went undecided on who to take a shot in the box until Mbule stepped in to take his chance with the outside of his foot directing the ball off target.
Just before being subbed off, Zwane and Maema played the ball to Mailula in between the defenders, the young striker’s shot was saved. Surprise Ralani and Jerome Karelse who made his first appearance for The Brazilians came on for Maema and Mailula. With the last remaining minutes left to play, Saleng whipped in a free kick towards goal in efforts to equalize but met the bodies of the men in yellow.
Mamelodi Sundowns will next be facing Richards Bay at home on Tuesday, 7 February in the Nedbank Cup round of 32.
This is how we lined up:
Williams, Morena (81′ Ngobeni), Mudau, Mvala, Kekana, Maema (86′ Ralani), Mokoena, Zwane, Mkhulise (63′ Modiba), Mailula (86′ Karelse), Shalulile (63′ Mbule).
Subs:
- Onyango, Ngobeni, Ralani, Jali, Mbule, Karelse, Zungu, B. Onyango, Modiba.
We take 3 points and go home&keep on with 15 successive wins.But today the coach failed to be a father figure why did he keep Maema,Mkhulise&Mokoena for such a long time?Rulani sometimes fails to forgive certain individuals in the team like Andile Jali for being taken to cleaners by Saleng and it’s when he was needed most in the second half when Orlando Pirates was all over us throughout the second half.What a waste of a substitution for bringing Modiba only to nearly cost us 3 points and it’s not for the first time he has a howler of a game especially against Pirates,that boy is always beaten for pace and positional play against Saleng to bring him when opponents were on top of us surprised me.Mkhulise was made to play the role of Jali then Tebogo Mokoena kept on hiding behind opponents & never made himself available especially when we were on possession of the ball. Worst part u put Sfiso Ngobeni on the bench whereas u saw the boy was coming alright,there coach you had trust issues and you let that boy down.I was just surprised by Zwane’s selfishness when he should have passed the ball to Shalulile to put the score line beyond the reach of Pirates… Rulani Mokoena don’t be childish you can go places coaching Sundowns r emotionally attached to Maema and Mokoena don’t fail to take them when they are overwhelmed by the opponents you did that today.I was embarrassed by the middleman today hayi hayi hayi though he failed to spot the penalty for Pirates but his officiating left a lot to be desired,especially calls against us.But all in all the league is heading to KOP for the 16th time now, not this nonsense of saying we are 12 or 13 time Champions,of which I keep on wondering why are we short changing our success.
Seconded member and he must tell zwane to stop being selfish, he suppose to pass shalulile that ball to meke it 2_0 instead he just kick the ball knowing he was not in a good position. but I’m happy we won although we did not play well
Seconded guys! I wonder why we didn’t not have a striker on the bench? Where was Siriano? I think the coach needs to give Motoupa a chance! He is good on pressing when he is fully fit! Zwane was very selfish not to pass the ball to Shalulile in that instance! The game really needed Jali in the second half to control the tempo when the opponent was at us wave after wave! The coaching staff fumbled today!!
Coach pls rebuke Zwane if doesn’t play well or fail the instruction don’t keep on praising them all the time.
I agree with the above fellow Dawanas that Zwane should had passed the ball to Shalulile but he chose to be selfish and most of the time he’s fighting with the referees if its not goes on his way and nogal he’s a captain but he doesn’t lead by an example.
If he continues like this he won’t survive the Champs League referees,coach pls don’t be afraid of him and last week we played better while he was on suspension.Lastly is it true that Mkhulise is on his few months contract with us if YES why are we waiting to give him extension because he can sign a pre contract with any team right now.Kby forever.
This Modiba this Modiba ai this boy is out of line…. We need to think twise about him in champions league… This boy no good… Managers can you give Mbule enough chance please
Good for the win, but not a good game for Sundowns, our middlefield was weak. I want to know the problem Rhulani has with Jali, who is our best defensive Middlefield, far better than Mokoena, the favorite of Rhulani, who don’t play well these days. I think he is trying to discourage Jali to go to other team like Pirates or Chiefs as it was the case of Erasmus, but we supporters, we will not give him that chance, the management must investigates about this issue.
Yellow Nation congratulations big up to everyone. 3 points that’s what was on table .Fully agree with everyone’s saying that was not of our best game . I believe that the Coach selected one of our best line up .Its simply Pirate wanted more than us losing 3 games in row to one Team they needed to fight more than us as Onyango and Neo said in the build that there were going to come at us.But class is permanent I only remember one chance on the open play from Pirate that hit the upright . their chances came via set pieces .Me I am happy it is not easy to play one team 4 times in the space of 2 Months and still win 3 games against them
Skhumba we had
a Striker on the bench Carelse is a striker was introduced on 87 minutes .he plays on the MDC is fast and deadly IN front of goals my concern He did not have enough time to introduce himself to those who does not know him.it concerns me that some of you Guys do not know your players. Another thing Modern football is no longer about strikers Sha Sha n Cassius that means the 2 of them have scored 16 goal the rest from defenders and middlefielders