Johannesburg — Mamelodi Sundowns handed the Yellow Nation an early New Year’s present after they beat rivals Orlando Pirates 2-0 in the DStv Premiership on Friday.
With this victory, the Brazilians remained top of the standings with 31 points, 12 behind Pirates who have also played one game more than Downs.
Downs may have walked with the win, but kudos should go to the fans of both sides after they graced Loftus’s heavy rain amid the festive season festivities.
The local league season had to resume during the festive season after the domestic season was prematurely halted by the recently ended World Cup.
Sundowns and Pirates were the best two teams in the first half of the season, with Downs finishing top of the log, while Bucs won the MTN8.
Friday’s contest was even more unique given that Bucs humiliated the Brazilians in the MTN8 semi-final en route to annexing the Wafa Wafa crown.
That 3-0 defeat in Polokwane led to changes in the Brazilians’ technical team with Rhulani Mokwena appointed as the sole head coach of the club.
The young tactician impressed in his first two matches, but Pirates were set to give his team a run for their money based on their form under Jose Riveiro.
But with their sensational duo from the first half of the season, Marcelo Allende and Abubekar Nasir fit and in the starting line-up, Downs started on a high note.
And after Sundowns won a set-piece close to the D, Allende launched a hard, curling shot but Siyabonga Mpontshane parried the effort.
Pirates didn’t sit back and absorb the pressure, as they attacked in numbers, with Monnapule Saleng forcing a save out of Ronwen Williams.
Williams yet again saved the champions from conceding as he saved a brilliant header from Tapelo Xoki following Saleng’s set-piece.
But Mpontshane let Pirates down after losing his footing as Mothobi Mvala put Downs ahead.
Allende whipped in a telling set-piece, identical to Saleng’s, and Mvala rose high to connect with a header that found the bottom corner of the net.
The Brazilians nearly doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time after Nassir went one-on-one with Mpontshane against the run of play.
But the duo collided and the ball rolled away for a goal kick. That collision had an impact on Nasir, who had to be stretched off at half-time.
Downs started the second half frantically, troubling the Pirates defence but they had to wait a little longer before they found their goal.
Timm lost possession as Themba Zwane cut Pirates’ defence open, releasing Neo whose rebound was parried towards Cassius Mailula, who tapped home.
Sundowns should have extended their lead later in the second half, but Mpontshane redeemed himself, saving Zwane and Allende’s efforts.
Sandile Mthethwa nearly scored for Pirates at the death, but his shot came off the crossbar before Williams denied Saleng to preserve Downs’ clean sheet.
IOL Sport