Looking more like paupers than expensive soccer stylists, big-spending Mamelodi Sundowns scraped to a narrow 1-0 Premier League win over struggling Black Aces at a sun-drenched Puma Rugby Stadium in Witbank on Sunday afternoon.
Sundowns spent much of the second half defending the 26th minute goal scored by Lebohang Mokoena after Mabhudi Khenyeza’s initial shot had only been partially saved.
The team, known somewhat misleadingly as the Brazilians, gave little indication they could achieve their proclaimed ambition of making up the eight-point deficit they currently have on the 33-point tally of log leaders and defending champions SuperSport United.
Some compensation for Sundowns was the fact that they managed to return to the fifth place they occupied before the start of the week-end’s PSL programme.
Apart from a concerted appeal for a penalty by Aces, only a despairing 78th minute save by Brian Baloyi in Sundowns’ goal prevented an equaliser.
Sundowns made a succession of changes in the second half in an effort to insert life into a team that had lost its momentum, pulling off match-winner Mokoena, the PSL’s top scorer, Katlego Mphela, and the much-vaunted Elias Pelembe.
But Benedict Vilakazi was largely anonymous when he came on in midfield and the changes had little or no effect.
Sundown coach Hristo Stoichkov said he was ”50% satisfied” with his team’s performance — which he described as satisfactory in the first half and below par in the second period.
”We outplayed them in the second half,” said Aces caretaker coach Kerr, ”and deserved at least a share of the spoils. We never looked like a side battling relegation and the performance augers well for the future.” – Sapa