Mamelodi Sundowns are cruising nicely as they set a new PSL record by narrowly edging Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in a DStv Premiership clash on Saturday night, 21 January at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
It is also the first time Sundowns complete a league double over Chiefs having hammered the Soweto giants 4-0 in the first round in Tshwane.
Neo Maema scored a stunner in the 19th minute of the game after a neat interchange of passes between Themba Zwane and Peter Shalulile at the edge of the box.
The defeat in front of over 33 000 spectators saw Chiefs fail to avoid a hat-trick of defeats in the league as they came into the Sundowns game on the back of two back-to-back losses against AmaZulu and Sekhukhune United.
Sundowns started the match in high tempo, with more attacking intent compared to Chiefs, who were jittery and slow to move out of their blocks.
Themba Zwane got Sundowns’ first chance of the match in the fifth minute when his deflected effort hit the upright having eluded Itumeleng Khune.
WHAT WAS CHIEFS’ UNDOING IN THE SECOND HALF
After the Maema goal, Amakhosi opened up their game and they got their first real chance of the match in the 30th minute.
However, Keagan Dolly uncharacteristically spurned the chance after being set-up in the box by Nkosingiphile Ngcobo.
Action swung from one end to another, but it was Sundowns, who created more chances while also dominating in terms of ball possession.
Khuliso Mudau almost doubled Sundowns’ lead a minute before the half-time break but Edmilson Dove did well to block the rasping shot.
At the break, Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane was forced to make a change as he substituted Samkelo Zwane, who looked lost with Siyethemba Sithebe replacing the young man.
For a moment, that decision looked to have breathed life into the Glamour Boys, with Ashley Du Preez and Sithebe both coming near to finding the equaliser after resumption from the break.
Undoubtedly, Chiefs had a decent second half but were left to rue missed chances.
They were almost punished on the hour mark as Cassius Mailula hit the side netting from the left flank, with Dolly wasting chance after chance for the Soweto giants.
On the 80th minute, Du Preez also missed a sitter when he was picked unmarked by Sithebe.
In truth, Chiefs’ lack of a killer instinct was their biggest undoing having created the most chances in the second half.
Zwane’s men drop down to fifth place on 24 points after 17 games, while Sundowns stretched their lead at the summit of the log with their 15th win in the league this season.
Sundowns are now 17 points ahead of second-placed Richards Bay, who have two games in hand.
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