Cape Town — Mamelodi Sundowns moved to the top of the DStv Premiership log after defeating Marumo Gallants 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, on Wednesday evening.
Sundowns enjoyed the upper hand from the opening whistle as Gallants were forced to settle for a defensive role. The Gallants' defence survived a few close calls earlier but midfielders Sphelele Mkhulise and Teboho Mokoena combined well to set up the opening score in the match.
Mokoena was well up as Sundowns staged an attack in the Gallants goalmouth and once the opposition defenders closed in on him, he fed Mkhulise who calmly stroked the ball well wide of Washington Arubi, Gallants' Zimbabwean goalkeeper.
Before this score, Zwane and Marcelo Allende both came close to scoring in the early stages when Sundowns bombarded the opposition defence with a wave of attacks.
Gallants performed slightly better in the second half, but they were unable to land the equaliser, although they managed a goal in the final minute it was disallowed in a rather controversial fashion.
At the Dobsonville Stadium, Soweto, bottom-placed hosts Swallows FC shocked Royal AM who suffered a 2-0 defeat.
Swallows' first-half pressure took its toll a few minutes ahead of halftime after defender Gregory Damons, who was deployed in the midfield opened the scoring in the 38th minute.
Ironically, Royal AM looked the likelier to score after they enjoyed a few scoring chances immediately after the kick-off.
Once Swallows braved that early onslaught, they grabbed the initiative and applied the pressure. They enjoyed four first-half corners and led the goal shot count 11-2, and this reflects their superiority at this stage of the match.
Six minutes into the second half, Swallows increased their lead with a goal by Musonda Mwape, the former Zambian international.
This 'insurance' goal marked the beginning of the end for Royal AM who were not able to recover from the two setbacks.
At the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, Durban hosts Richards Bay ran out 1-0 winners over the visiting Cape Town City.
City's Lyle Lakay scored an own goal in added time at the end of the match.
IOL Sport