Mamelodi Sundowns climbed to the summit of the Betway Premiership standings after beating Golden Arrows 2-1 at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.
Siyanda Ndlovu scored for Sundowns, opening his account against the former side before Junior Dion found the leveller for the home side with 15 minutes to spare – but when it looked like a draw Teboho Mokoena came up with a moment of brilliance to secure the three points.
Unlike their previous meeting in the MTN8 semi-final second leg last week, the two teams approached the opening stages cautiously, resulting in limited goalmouth action. Dion came close to breaking the deadlock when he unleashed a powerful effort from outside the box, but Ronwen Williams was equal to it, parrying the ball away.
The Brazilians patiently built up play as they searched for an opening, but Arrows remained disciplined and refused to give them any clear chances.
Sundowns’ patience eventually paid off in the 14th minute when Ndlovu found the back of the net against his former side. The goal was his first for the club, but he chose not to celebrate out of respect for his former team.
The Tshwane giants continued to dominate possession, while Arrows relied on occasional counter-attacks in search of an equaliser. In the 28th minute, Tashreeq Matthews squandered a golden opportunity to double Sundowns’ lead after Arrows failed to clear their lines. The score remained 1-0 at the break.
Arrows came out with greater attacking intent in the second half as they continued to search for an equaliser. Brayan Leon had a golden opportunity to put his side ahead when he found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa, but the Arrows shot-stopper made an important save to deny him.
The Brazilians’ defence also showed signs of vulnerability at times, much like in previous matches where they have conceded a number of goals. Arrows enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure, pinning Sundowns back in their own half as they pushed relentlessly for a way through.
The African champions picked up somewhat after Miguel Cardoso made a couple of changes to build momentum again. However, Arrows found the leveller through Dion after he was set up by Philani Khumalo.
Sundowns, though, had the last laugh after a superb strike by Mokoena saw them steal the three points. The win saw Miguel Cardoso’s side three points clear of Orlando Pirates at the top of the log.