ANDREW MUCHINERIPI, Pretoria | Thursday 10.00am
A 2-0 victory for Sundowns over African Wanderers in a Castle Premiership match at Loftus Stadium moved the former closer to the title and the latter closer to relegation.
Goals by captain Daniel Mudau and French-born Alain Amougou secured maximum points for the defending champions against opponents who have moved from mid-table respectability to the danger area within a few weeks.
Reigning Player of the Year Roger Feutmba was the architect behind the first goal and a Lovers Mohlala cross offered Amougou the opportunity to head the match-clincher.
Sundowns remaining matches are at home to Manning Rangers and Bloemfontein Celtic and away to Santos, Moroka Swallows and Orlando Pirates, starting with the Mighty Maulers in Pretoria next Wednesday. But before resuming their challenge for a third consecutive title, the team known as the Brazilians because their colours and style of play resemble that of the South American maestros, have a cup call.
They host AmaZulu, another club involved in the desperate fight to stave off relegation, at Loftus on Sunday in the second semi-final of the Bob Save Super Bowl and only the margin of victory appears in doubt.
While Wanderers must win their final match at Durban neighbours Manning Rangers to be certain of staying in the Premiership, Bloemfontein Celtic assured they would not go down with a 6-0 thrashing of Mother City.
Pre-match warnings by Celtic coach April ‘Styles’ Phumo not to underestimate doomed City sounded rather hollow when Stoffel Nikane scored a hat-trick within 12 minutes of the kick-off.
Daniel Matsau, Gideon Noge and Hendrik ‘Ace’ Gulwa added three more goals for Phunya Sele Sele before half-time and the scorless second half was so tame as to suggest the teams signed a non-aggression pact at half-time.