Mamelodi Sundowns walked away with all three points against Maritzburg United, after edging the KZN side 2-1 in an Absa Premiership match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday evening.
Ali Meza was a thorn in the flesh and set up Themba Zwane for Sundowns’ first real chance, Maritzburg keeper Richard Ofori made a good save to deny Themba Zwane, who tried his luck with a snapshot from a tight angle.
Sundowns then took control of the match and Ofori found himself under pressure as Jose Ali Meza closed him down quickly, but the Sundowns attacker missed the target after the half-hour mark.
Gaston Sirino made mince meat of a Maritzburg defender before curling the back past a helpless Ofori to make it 1-0 to Sundowns. The score was 1-0 to Sundowns at the interval following an entertaining first-half.
While Tiyani Mabunda was stretched off for medical treatment, Siyanda Xulu found space in the box from a corner kick and made it one all for the Team Of Choice.
The defending league champions then pressed the visitors, with Hlompho Kekana pulling the strings from the middle. The Sundowns captain’s excellent long ball sent Tebogo Langerman through on goal in the 68th minute, but Ghana international Ofori produced a fine save to deny the left-back.
The Brazilians launched attacks in search of a late winning goal, with coach Pitso Mosimane having introduced Phakamani Mahlambi and Lyle Lakay.
The pressure did pay off as Lakay proved to be a super-sub when he scored with a well-taken shot to seal Sundowns’ 2-1 win over Maritzburg in stoppage time.
LINE UP: Denis Onyango, Thapelo Morena, Motjeka Madisha, Musa Lebusa, Tebogo Langerman, Tiyani Mabunda (Coetzee 58′), Hlompho Kekana, Themba Zwane, Gaston Sirino, Sibusiso Vilakazi (Mahlambi 62′), Ali Meza (Lakay 83′).
Masandawana. What a great performance by the boys and fighting spirit until the end paid off. I personally have a concern though, I think we deserve to know the quarrel between Jali and our technical team. In some matches we scrap hard to win whereas you can see if some decisions were made differently it could have been easier than it was. For instance, instead of introducing Rivaldo if Jali was introduced we could have much strength in both attack and defense, NOT that Rivaldo is NOT good but Jali gives you both in one. When put in the corner and Jali gets to play everyone including them appreciate his performance thereafter he’s benched. NO NO NO guys something is fishy.
Can our technical team please let us know what they know.
What a great performance, however we missed almost 12 clear scoring chances. The last time Lackay missed a scoring chance against Cape town city and this time he converted and saves us from a draw, @Moeketsi Molefe i think this year we see the technical team rotating the team very well, the last performance cannot guarantee that the player will perform in the next game, I don’t want to put pressure on players, Andile played well in the CAF game but in the next game he conceded a penalty so should we attack him on that i think the answer is no that will be unfair hence i don’t want to comment about individual performances Member, but the good thing this year is that players are rotated and that makes me happy. KBY
Great game l am sure that we heading the right direction. We need to work on our set play we failing on the basic defending corners and free kicks and we can not convert eather our free kicks and corners. Our finishing need to improve as well l. pray that meza is given more game time He Hustler very good on the ball .
Lastly what do you think of combination of Meza and Ranti?
Well-done Bafana bastyle
Jebzi! Combination of TK and Meza…is hungry Sundowns, member that is what we are missing at Sundowns players are too comfortable…and not ruthless… about JALI deserves a start… with Seyabi,Keke Sirino Mshishi… it’s my dream middle field,coz it’s a combination of defense and attack…who can start this and Meza partnering with Rantie… well like I said it’s just my dream,I need sleep and wake up to see that team…. thanks for the win…I also blv Phaka need some game Time…and start behaving I won’t say much coz I love that striker… with Rantie putting team’s to a sword….
I meant who can stop this….. this phone?
coach pitso must start integrating youngsters like Mkhize, Modise, that young centre back signed from chiefs MDC, bring back Shozi and Boikanyo. The other youngsters that fit the sundowns bill are Magermaan of Ajax and Sibiya of golden Arrows.
we have got enough ammunition in the striking department is just that we are unlucky with injuries to key strikers
I support fully the use of Coeetzee in the centre of the field big up coach but if Coetzee is used as six Anele and Arendse must not play. Coetzee is a typical number six.
plz coach don’t look at abo Mokoena, Modiba no no we have better youngsters than them. Phela labantu besibashaya kumaMDC games bonke nabo Ndlovu Makaringe laba. Why now chasing them bakuphi o Shozi, Skippers, Boikanyo and Modise and Mkhize even Mkhuma.
So Pitso is basically saying that Rivaldo is better than Jali. I am personally thinking that Pitso has beef with Jali. The guy is a midfielder but aboRivaldo are being converted to midfiled positions. This is unfair and soon we will be losing players
Congratulations for a win. Maritzburg united always give us a hard time. A better way to pick ourselves from that disappointment during the week. Sundowns must always remember to fight for victory and convert chances. The misses are just too much. They must be turned around, if the our goal stats can be the misses and our misses be turned into goals we can be the most feared team in the continent. Target shooting is very important, picking a spot and directing the ball, it should be easy in our modern day professional football.
Thanx for a parole 3 points,coach how can u play Nkatha nd Gabuza in a same time(Meza nd Mahlambi) they both cant score and can’t turn, we have lot of ball players we just need box man