Lesiba Nku’s second half goal saw Mamelodi Sundowns secure a 1-0 win against Stellenbosch FC on Saturday afternoon at the Athlone Stadium.
A Saturday afternoon assignment marked the second successive trip to the winelands for Downs inside three weeks, following the Nedbank Cup Finals where they won 2-1 against the Stellenbosch outfit.
When Bafana Ba Style were seeking to collect all points on offer away from home, the home team on the other side, knew that victory in their turf would keep their hopes of a place in the CAF Champions League alive. This forced the intensity and physicality to be apparent from go.
It was the hosts that created the first meaningful chance inside 20 minutes. It came from Aubrey Modiba wanting to keep the ball alive but the Stellies’ high press got the better of him as they made an interception and drove the ball into the danger box. The chance was cleared which earned the home side a corner but nothing came out of it.
On the opposite side of the pitch, captain Themba Zwane was applying pressure on the right as he tried to dribble his way into the danger zone but it got cleared, earning them a corner. Lorch made a brilliant cross into the area, which confused the defence and almost saw them open the scoring but was quickly cleared away of the danger zone.
Bathusi Aubaas saved the day numerous times, applying pressure on Devin Titus. The two big saves he made in the first stanza caused a deflection for Titus in a position where Stellenbosch could have scored. The second time he managed to go in front of Titus to head the ball to Ronwen Williams in the area.
A foul was committed by Downs in the area which saw the referee point to the spot but the away side shot stopper, Williams made no mistake and made an impressive save to deny the Maroons an opener.
To close the first half, Nku fired a riotous cross on the left but it was too powerful that when Peter Shalulile tried heading it into the net, it went over the bar. Despite the many clear-cut chances we saw, the two sides went to the break deadlocked with no goals.
The second stanza offered more scoring opportunities and it was evident that a goal was coming, and it was the visitors that got the crucial breakthrough which duly arrived on the 66th minute through Nku. Thembinkosi Lorch was the initial creator as he burst the ball from the left flank to the opposite flank to find a Nku who readily thundered a super ball into the net.
Despite the multiple chances created by both sides and the box-to-box football that was witnessed in the second half, Masandawana were able to hold on to the lead, giving them the three points they were looking to collect away from home.
How we lined up: Williams, Mdunyelwa, Aubaas, Coetzee, Modiba, Zwane ©, Mbule, Allende, Shalulile, Lorch, Nku.
Subs: Pieterse, Lebusa, Esquivel, Mendieta, Mabena, Morena, Mvala, Maboe.
