Like a pressure cooker suddenly reaching boiling point, Mamelodi Sundowns began to sizzle in the second half of a 4-0 Coca-Cola Cup victory against Lamontville Golden Arrows at the sun-drenched HM Pitje Stadium in Mamelodi on Saturday afternoon.
All four scoring efforts emerged in the second period, and with goals from Lerato Chabangu (52nd and 64th minutes), late substitute Peter Ndlovu (85th minute) and Godfrey Sapula (88th minute) providing the heat, the hapless Arrows melted under the pressure and looked a bewildered and bemused team at the end.
It was a different story in a reasonably tight opening period, with Sundowns again enjoying an ample territorial advantage yet unable to break the shackles of indecisive finishing, which has tended to minimise the effect of their otherwise clear-cut domination in many games this season.
But the Brazilians were not to be denied, with the flood gates opening soon after the interval via close-range, opportunist goals from Chabangu, who pounced on the loose balls after shots from Sapula and Ezrom Nyandoro had been blocked.
Sundowns’ transformation from a prodding, listless combination into one oozing imagination and penetration was in no small measure due to the introduction in the second half of Argentinian midfielder Vicente Principiano and former Zimbabwean captain Ndlovu — reputed to be the highest-paid player in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) but who is only now providing the dividends expected from such an expensive investment.
The enterprising passing of the cagey Principiano, who used spin to control the ball like a snooker master, was a revelation in a PSL where this basic requirement is too often off the mark and lacking in inventiveness.
Apart from scoring the third sublime goal after coming on as a substitute for namesake Sandile Ndlovu, the ignited Peter Ndlovu initiated the equally dazzling scoring effort by Sapula three minutes later.
And indications are that Sundowns coach Angel Cappa will utilise Peter Ndlovu and Principiano in his starting line-up the next time out.
Ajax scrape through
A goal in the 106th minute by Mfundo Shumana led Ajax Cape Town to victory over Bush Bucks in the first round of the Coca-Cola Cup at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday night.
The teams were goalless after 90 minutes.
Mduduzi Mdladla had a chance to equalise in the 122nd minute as he broke through a square defence but kicked wide with only goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs to beat.
The visitors’ build-up was good and they were quicker to the breakdown than Ajax were. In the 27th minute, Franklyn Cale’s free kick from 25m out was brilliantly saved by Tampungu Dikete. Two minutes later, Bryce Moon centred and Cale missed a sitter from 6m out as he kicked wide.
The closest either team came to scoring in full-time was in the 74th minute, when substitute Terror Fontini’s diving header was saved by the upright and a minute later Fisher Kandowe’s powerful shot from the edge was tipped over the bar by Josephs.
Three minutes later, the same player’s 30m drive just shaved the upright.
The game came alive and Dikete had to dive to push out a shot from Fontini, and from the resultant corner, Shumana missed a sitter as the ball went past the upright. — Sapa