Mamelodi Sundowns are advancing to the MTN8 semi-finals following a 1-0 extra time victory against Polokwane City on Sunday afternoon at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
From the time the referee blew the kick-off whistle, Masandawana were looking to assert their dominance, seeing the first chance being created five minutes into the match. It was through Lucas Ribeiro, who shot an acrobatic overhead ball to the net but was cleared by the fingertips of the opposition’s goalkeeper.
Peter Shalulile would go on to pick up from where Ribeiro left off by attacking Terrence Mashego’s cross. His ball, however, hit the woodwork. Denying them another opportunity to open the floodgates. Masandawana continued to look for a goal, but could not, as they closed off the first half with no goals on both ends of the field.
The second half saw more clear-cut chances from the Brazilians, but none of them materialised, as Rise and Shine continued with the low block. The encounter took a dramatic turn when Denis Onyango was sent off, seven minutes before regulation time ended, after getting a straight red.
With the hosts having used the full complement of players, after introducing Neo Maema, Themba Zwane, Thapelo Morena and Thapelo Maseko, Mosa Lebusa was forced to take matters into his own hands, wearing the goalkeeper gloves to help the team at the box. Due to the encounter being a difficult one for both sides, the game was forced to extra time. Lebusa didn’t continue at goal, as they took out Mashego to introduce shot stopper Jody February.
12 minutes into the first half of extra time, Polokwane City’s Thabang Matuludi tried to steer Teboho Mokoena’s ball away, however, he found himself slotting the ball into his own box, giving Bafana Ba Style an advantage at goal.
Nothing materialised in the second half of extra time, which meant that Downs are advancing into the semi-finals, after winning with an own goal. In the two-legged semi-finals, they will be facing Western Cape side, Stellenbosch FC, with Masandawana hosting them first before heading to Stellenbosch.
How they lined up: Onyango, Lebusa, Mokoena, Coetzee, Mashego, Mudau, Modiba, Allende, Ribeiro, Matthews, Shalulile.
Subs: February, Kekana, Morena, Nku, Mkhulise, Zwane, Mabena, Maseko, Maema.
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.
