Downs move into quarters
Mohau Ramashidja
Sundowns. (0) 2
(Kekana 65, Zwane 70)
Polokwane City (0) 0
Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns progressed to the quarter-finals of the Telkom Knockout after beating Polokwane City at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria last night.
Goals by Hlompho Kekana and Themba Zwane in the second period were enough to see the Tshwane outfit brush aside a Polokwane side who lacked the necessary venom to challenge them in their defensive third.
In this encounter, Masandawana made five changes to their starting line-up that played against Zamalek on Sunday. Coach Pitso Mosimane opted to rest some of his regulars, such as Keagan Dolly and Antony Laffor. The team had returned a day before from Egypt, but showed no signs of fatigue.
Downs started the first half very well, creating many chances moving forward. However, their finishing let them down.
Sibusiso Vilakazi, who was playing as a second striker to Yannik Zakri, was the main culprit.
Vila’s first chance came in the fifth minute, following a brilliant pass from Zakri. However, he couldn’t put the shot on target and it was deflected into a corner.
Minutes later Vila was presented with another chance when he found himself unmarked outside the area. His effort at goal, however, was so poor that the opposition keeper didn’t have to move to make the save.
Polokwane responded with attacking moves of their own, but Sundowns held out.
Sundowns started the second period with more aggression, after Mosimane had made two substitutions that helped win him the match.
Khama Billiat came in for struggling Zakri at the start of the second period, while Zwane came on later. They caused havoc in the opposition’s defence, and Sundowns scored two goals in five minutes.
Fifteen minutes after the break, Zwane surged passed the opposition’s defence to find Hlompho Kekana open for a pass. Kekana did not disappoint and converted the chance.
Minutes later Sundowns scored again as Zwane registered his first goal of this competition to see Sundowns progress to the last eight.
Telkom Quarter-finals draw: Sundowns v SuperSport; Baroka v CT City; Chiefs v FS Stars; Pirates v Highlands Park
The Mercury