OWN CORRESPONDENT, Rustenburg | Saturday 6.30pm.
FRENCH-born striker Alain Amougou scored the goal that set up Sundowns for a 2-0 victory over Free State Stars in the Rothmans Cup final here on Saturday.
Dreadlocked Amougou struck after 37 minutes with a shot from just inside the penalty area that took a deflection off Zambian defender Joe Bwalya and beat goalkeeper Mathews Setholo.
The goalkeeper must take some of the blame for the decisive second goal after 53 minutes as he failed to hold a Jethro Mohlala drive and captain Daniel Mudau snatched a soft goal.
Favourites Sundowns, beaten in the previous two finals of the richest domestic cup competition in Africa, often toyed with Stars and success completed a hat-trick for Franco-Yugoslav coach Paul Dolezar.
He coached Kaizer Chiefs to penalty-shootout victories over Sundowns in the 1997 and 1998 finals of a cup carrying a first prize of almost $200000 dollars.
Unfashionable Stars came closest to scoring just before half-time when Sydwell Maboe rounded goalkeeper John Tlale, but his shot was cleared by Nigerian Muisi Ajao.
The first football match staged at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace was disappointing with too many fouls, misplaced passes and wild attempts at goal on a heavy, uneven surface. — AFP