Sundowns left Cape Town with full points when they beat a plucky Ajax Cape Town 2-0 in a Castle Premier Soccer League game played at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday night.
Both goals were scored in the first half.
There is no doubt Sundowns have an excellent team, especially their front-runners, whose play was precise and accurate.
The visitors were quicker to the ball and did not give the Ajax youngsters a chance to settle down.
The visitors were unlucky in the first minute when Jose Torrealba almost intercepted a back pass, and only quick action by Moneeb Josephs prevented the goal.
Sundowns took the lead in the 16th minute when Lerato Chabangu put over a cross and Torrealba was on hand to head home.
The Sundowns defence was suspect, but the Ajax forwards were too inexperienced to grab their chances.
In the 33rd minute, clever play with short passing saw the ball go to Chabangu, whose shot thundered into the side rigging.
Sundowns doubled the score in the referee’s optional time at the end of the first half when clever play between the forwards again saw Surprise Moriri blast the ball home, giving Josephs no chance.
The home side pressed from the start of the second half and in the 52nd minute, Nhlanhla Shabalala, with a clear chance, kicked wide.
In the 79th minute, David Kannemeyer’s cross and Ajax central defender Cyrille Mubiala headed wide.
Ajax came close on several occasions but good anticipation from Downs ‘keeper Andre Arendse prevented the visitors from conceding a goal.
In extra time, referee Matthew Dyer awarded Sundowns a penalty but Sandile Ndlovu’s shot was saved by a diving Josephs.
Good start for Pirates
Orlando Pirates good start to the Castle Premiership season continued at Ellis Park on Wednesday night where they thumped Bloemfontein Celtic 3-0 to emerge as one of the early pacesetters of the news season.
Pirates led 2-0 at half-time.
Pirates weathered the early storm in the first half. The home side should have been a goal up within 30 seconds, but Democratic Republic of Congo striker Lelo Mbele failed to convert a great cross from teammate Joseph Makhanya.
Celtic’s star midfielder Siyabonga Nkosi brought out the best in Bucs goalkeeper Francis Chansa, who did well to hold on to a well-struck shot from the Celtic midfielder in the 12th minute.
Once Pirates settled, they showed their class and killed off Celtic with two goals within four minutes in the first half. The first goal was a thumping header from Edward Malinga in the 23rd minute. Four minutes later, Isaac Chansa scored a spectacular goal form range that gave ‘keeper Vincent Ongandzi no chance.
Bucs kept going forward and a free kick from Lucky Lekgwathi skimmed over the cross bar on 32 minutes.
It was one-way traffic in the second half, when Pirates outplayed and demoralised their visitors. Shocking defending earned Pirates their third goal in the 59th minute when Nigerian import Onyekachi Okonko was unmarked and able to tap in Joseph Makhanya’s corner into the far post.
Celtic’s veteran Malawian John Maduka was wide with a free kick in the 64th minute. Bucs striker Lebo Mokoena had a shot cleared off the line in the 67th minute.
But Pirates were unlucky when substitute Steve Lekoelea had a goal disallowed for offside in the 82nd minute when he looked to be in an on-side position. But at the end of the night, the score line reflected Pirates’ superiority.
Stars hold off Birds
Silver Stars did enough to beat a 10-man Moroka Swallows 1-0 in a Premier Soccer league match played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday.
There was no score at half-time.
The home side took the lead midway through the second half, courtesy of a goal by Belux Kasongo.
Swallows were reduced to 10 men when Haraetha Simba Marumo was red-carded. — Sapa