Mamelodi Sundowns went to the New Peter Mokaba Stadium with a clear mandate, three points, and to stretch the lead on top. Masandawana took on Baroka in the tenth game of the DStv Premiership, the log leaders had not lost a game going into this clash.
Masandawana showed as early as the third minute that they are in Limpopo for maximum points and not an excursion, as Peter Shalulile took a shot that was brilliantly saved by Oscarine Masuluke and a few seconds later Themba Zwane saw his volley going above the bar. The home side also tried to throw a few blows at Mamelodi Sundowns, in the eleventh minute, Manuel Kambala’s header was easily saved by Denis Onyango.
Zwane who was returning to the side after being on the sidelines saw his well-taken free-kick saved by Masuluke. Shalulile saw his header rattle the crossbar in the fifteenth minute after a great cross by Lyle Lakay. In the last ten minutes of the first half, the Brazilians could have taken the lead but the Bakgakga keeper made sure that nothing beat him and the half ended with the score at 0-0.
The second half started in the same manner as the first half, as Masandawana kept pushing for that opener, Aubrey Modiba was the one to test Masuluke and the keeper was on par to save the shot from close range. It needed almost an hour for Bafana bastyle to break down that wall of Baroka as Lakay hit a free-kick that saw the keeper well beaten for the opener.
After months of being on the sidelines, Gaston Sirino made his way onto the field as he came on for Modiba at the hour mark. It took the Uruguayan a few minutes to introduce himself to the game as his shot was saved by the keeper for a corner. The Mamelodi Sundowns defence was not tested until in the last twenty minutes of the game but the pairing of Ricardo Nascimento and Brian Onyango was alert to avert any danger poised by Baroka.
With the game almost in the bag, Shalulile made a great turn but was fouled by Denwin Farmer just outside the box, the resulting free-kick was taken by George Maluleka and again that man Masuluke was there to make a great save. Maluleka, Sirino, and Zwane made a great combination which led to the second goal of the day as Zwane scored his eighth goal of the season to seal a 2-0 victory and maintain the unbeaten streak.
How we lined up: D. Onyango, Morena, Nascimento, B. Onyango, Lakay, Mvala (Jali ’79), Coetzee, Zwane, Maboe (Maluleka ’79), Shalulile, Modiba (Sirino 65′)
Subs, Mweene, Langerman, Jali, Maluleka, Mdhluli, Kapinga, Mkhulise, Makgalwa, Sirino
Dankie Dawana for the win,Modiba must pull up his socks and stop being casual this is Sundowns so as Maboe sometimes, where’s Lebusa that guy should rotate with Nascimento to avoid rustiness on him when Nascimento is injured.
The last players we played with today must start in our next game against our neighbors, Kby forever
My thought about Modiba, and Maboe too. Just hope he (Modiba) comes around soon. Maboe should just learn space awareness. Often he loses the ball easily, putting himself under unnecessary pressure resulting in rockie fouls.Meanwhile I was impressed to see Sirino committing, thus leaving last month’s chapter behind him. With Onyango (the keeper), it goes without saying that the guy has been marvel to watch; his positioning, savings he makes, distributions of ball, monitoring of his backline. The guy gets even better with age. How I wish our coaches can give Maluleke enough game time sometimes. You can see whenever he gets into the pitch,our game start flowing because of his runs, but also trying to marshall the centre. He (Maluleke) still has more to offer as I look at his game
I personally pleased with the overall performance of the players during the game don’t mind the results
Gud results but performance wise not impressed we suppose to win easily here
Looking forward to the next game. So far rotating the team hasn’t work against us. Thanks to Shadrach,Meshack and Abednigo for their choice of the starting eleven. Every player seems to get a run, only Motupa whom I keep asking myself when are we going to see him in Downs’ colours.
Guys as much as we want to see the same starting lineup involving Zwane and Sirino etc We mustn’t forget that it will not always like that due to unforseen circumstances like Covid and bookings, injuries.
Most South African teams don’t divulge the status of their players unlike in Europe so let’s understand that if our favorite is all of sudden absent it might be above not to hammer our three wisemen for always changing the winning combination and they don’t have a right to divulge someone’s health condition.
What We must do let’s get behind the starting lineup because all of them are our players even Junior Khanye is complaining about our combination of which he’s wrong because he doesn’t know the reason behind that,Kby forever
Let me take this time to congratulate the technical stuff, fitness teams, the medical team, the yellow soldiers and the yellow nation, Masandawana we played very well and Oscar Masunuke really saved Baroka from being humiliated. Let us keep on collecting the points and see hoe the table will look like at the end of the first round,
Thks Zipho we share same centiment about Maboe not deserved to be starting xi i can say is just fortunate to be at Sundowns he miss scoring opportunitiies no energy
Maboe should b replaced in the starting lineup cos he doesn’t want to improve his game,as for Modiba,he seems lost,maybe he should b played at left back n compete with Lakay