Sundowns teach Clever Boys a lesson

Published Feb 25, 2017

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PRETORIA – It might not have been an Absa Premiership title eliminator, but should the championship hunt come down to a two-horse race between these sides, then Mamelodi Sundowns showed why they would be clear favourites to walk it.

Even without Khama Billiat and Anthony Laffor, obvious match-winners who were out injured, the Brazilians overpowered their visitors 2-0 here on Saturday night.

Sundowns will feel they were wasteful in an encounter where they had better attempts on goal and had Bidvest Wits on the back foot over long periods.

Hlompho Kekana’s brilliantly taken free kick on the stroke of halftime separated the two teams going into the break and Sundowns, while they fluffed chances to kill off the game with more than just the two goals, held on until the end to reduce Wits’ lead to just two points.

When Sibusiso Vilakazi rolled the ball into the net for Downs’ second against his former team, there would have been no arguments as to who were better on the night. Good times at Sundowns.

It’s a massive victory, and the fact that coach Pitso Mosimane’s men have three matches in hand on their title rivals made the win even sweeter.

Both sides had come off midweek wins – Sundowns leaving it until late on Tuesday night to beat Platinum Stars 2-1 on the road, while Wits were more ruthless when they welcomed Baroka FC to their home ground in Johannesburg.

The Clever Boys put five past the lowly Limpopo outfit, boosting their goal difference ahead of going to face Sundowns. But it took a knock again on Saturday.

Wits coach Gavin Hunt barks out instructions from the touchline. Photo: Muzi Ntombela, BackpagePix

Mosimane’s men were the ones that looked like they would score for fun, while Wits were a yard or two off and were caught by the pace of young Percy Tau, who set up Vilakazi with the game virtually over, and Yannick Zakri upfront.

The Clever Boys were forced to rely on their physicality instead as Sundowns were clearly winning possession, but just unlucky not to make it count.

One of the reasons Wits coach Gavin Hunt had refused to hype this up as a potential title-decider was due to the opponents’ recent success in the continent as Caf Champions League and Super Cup winners, arguing they were ahead of everybody else “by a country mile”.

The Brazilians got to show their depth as well when goalkeeper Denis Onyango went down injured in the 22nd minute and replaced by second-choice Wayne Sandilands, who stepped up when called to action with two minutes on the clock to deny Cuthbert Malajila an equaliser.

Mosimane also managed to shut down the Wits supply to their aggressive central pairing of captain Thulani Hlatshwayo and Buhle Mkhwanazi, who bagged a double in the 5-0 thrashing of Baroka earlier in the week.

It was a bit of a tactical masterplan and an insight as to how Mosimane plans for a match as big as this one.

He engineered a win that further affirmed Sundowns’ credentials as hot favourites for the Premier League title. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone that can stop this Brazilians juggernaut.

@superjourno

Independent Media

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