Ten man Mamelodi Sundowns were too good for Baroka as they won 2-1 in their DStv Premiership clash this evening, while the two earlier games ended in draws.
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 Baroka
Despite being a man down for half the game, Sundowns beat Baroka 2-1 at Loftus Stadium in Tshwane.
Rushine De Reuck had an early chance for Sundowns, but his second minute header from a corner went wide of goal.
Kermit Erasmus’s effort was saved by Oscarine Masuluke in the 12th minute, while Denis Onyango saved from Sekela Sithole in the 17th minute. Sphelele Mkhulise shot over in the 22nd minute, while Bennet Bobete went wide for Baroka two minutes later.
Sundowns suffered a setback midway through the half, when top goalscorer Peter Shalulile had to go off with a mouth injury.
Baroka began to create a few chances of their own, Richard Mbulu went wide in the 28th minute, while Onyango got down well to stop Thamsanqa Masiya’s effort in the 32nd minute.
Masuluke got down well to deny Mkhulise in the 42nd minute, and there was drama just before half-time as Erasmus was sent off, picking up a second yellow card for something he said immediately after being booked.
But despite being down to ten men, Sundowns grabbed the lead in stoppage time, as Rivaldo Coetzee was on hand to tap in after being set up by a header from De Reuck. 1-0 to the league leaders at the break.
Themba Zwane combined well with Pavol Safranko in the opening minute of the second half, but Zwane’s final effort was comfortably saved by Masuluke.
With the man advantage Baroka created a few chances, but Masiya, Mbulu, Bobete and Nhlanhla Mgaga missed opportunities in the next 25 minutes.
But Mbulu did not miss in the 71st minute, as his powerful effort from an acute angle beat Onyango to make it 1-1.
But Sundowns were back in the lead in the 82nd minute when Zwane dribbled into the box and fired in past Masuluke.
Mgaga shot wide in the 87th minute, but it was the league leaders who managed the final minutes to hold on for another three points.
Marumo Gallants 0-0 Cape Town City
Marumo Gallants and Cape Town City played to a goalless draw at the Peter Mokaba Stadium earlier in the evening.
It was the second successive goalless draw in Limpopo for City, following their match on the weekend against Baroka. City and Gallants remain 10th and 11th respectively.
AmaZulu 2-2 Chippa United
AmaZulu came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Chippa at Kings Park Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
It was the anniversary of Benni McCarthy’s appointment at Usuthu, having taken over at the club exactly a year ago.
Chippa took the lead against the run of play in the 23rd minute when Bienvenu Eva Nga took advantage of a goalkeeping error by Veli Mothwa, as the striker closed down the Usuthu goalkeeper and deflected his attempted clearance into the goal.
Things went awry for Usuthu when Eve Nga made it 2-0 in the 29th minute, this time racing through the defence before placing it past Mothwa.
Usuthu pulled a goal back in the 64th minute as Rashid Watenga got a hand to substitute Luvuyo Memela’s header, but he couldn’t stop it from going into the back of the net.
Memela got his second in the 82nd minute to make it 2-2, driving in from the right to beat Watenga. Another draw for Usuthu, but a great effort to fight back like they did.
