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Sundowns cruise to victory in Tshwane derby

football05 February 2025 19:27
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Mamelodi Sundowns cruised to a 3-0 win over Tshwane derby rivals SuperSport United in a Betway Premiership match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The result, secured by goals from Jayden Adams and Tashreeq Matthews (two), ensured that the Brazilians retained a six-point lead at the top of the log over Orlando Pirates (who won a concurrent match against Sekhukhune United) ahead of the pair’s crunch league meeting this coming weekend.

As for Matsatsantsa, this fourth successive league defeat leaves them in 12th place on the standings – four points off the top eight.

Sundowns almost claimed the lead in the seventh minute, with Lucas Ribeiro driving a shot on target which was tipped onto the post by United goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa and Marcelo Allende volleyed over from the rebound.

Yet just four minutes later the visitors found the back of the net with Zuko Mdunyelwa’s low cross from the right picking out the run of Jayden Adams, who provided a composed finish for his first goal in Sundowns colours.

On 19 minutes the Brazilians were inches away from a second goal, as Peter Shalulile had the beating of Mbanjwa with a shot from outside the penalty area, but his effort rattled the keeper’s right-hand post.

SuperSport had offered little to no threat in attack, but in the 29th minute they were agonisingly close to an equaliser, as Gape Moralo’s sweetly-struck shot direct from a free kick left Ronwen Williams watching helplessly as it crashed into the woodwork.

‘Downs doubled their lead in the 44th minute via Tashreeq Matthews, who capitalised on a defensive error from Ime Okon before squeezing home a left-footed shot to see the visitors 2-0 up at the interval.

Matsatsantsa made a double change at the start of the second half, with Mandlenkosi Nkosi and Neo Rapoo introduced off the bench, but the Brazilians added to their advantage just four minutes after the restart.

Ribeiro provided a brilliant assist with a run and low cross from the right wing, and Matthews netted his second with a deflected shot that dribbled over the goal line after hitting the inside of the post.

SuperSport were able to stem the bleeding and prevent any further goals, though they did suffer another blow in the 87th minute when defender Siyabonga Ndebele picked up a second yellow card and was sent off.

The teams will return to Betway Premiership action on the weekend, with Sundowns hosting Orlando Pirates on Saturday 8 February, and SuperSport away to Sekhukhune United the following day.

SuperSport United 0

Mamelodi Sundowns (2) 3 (Adams 11’, Matthews 44’, 49’)

SUPERSPORT: Mbanjwa, Okon, Mbangossoum, Ndebele, Mobbie (Lungu 72’), Poggenpoel (Nkosi 46’), Ndlovu, Moralo, Saile (Dzvukamanja 58’), Pule (Rapoo 46’), Magidigidi (Nurkovic 58’)

SUNDOWNS: Williams, Mdunyelwa (Johannes 53’), Lebusa, Khoza, Tiwani, Adams, Mokoena (Esquivel 76’), Allende (Suarez 64’), Matthews, Ribeiro (Maseko 53’), Shalulile (Mkhulise 76’)

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