SUNDOWNS EDGE BAROKA TO EXTEND LEAD
Mamelodi Sundowns beat Baroka FC 2-1 in an Absa Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
As a result, the Brazilians extended their lead at the top of the league standings, while Bakgaga remained eighth on the table.
The Bakgaga suffered a blow just 10 minutes into the match as their star winger Talent Chawapiwa went down injured and he was replaced by Robin Ngalande.
However, this did not stop the hosts from attacking and they managed to take a surprise lead through their centre forward, Lucky Nguzana, in the 21st minute.
The well-travelled striker made it 1-0 to Baroka after meeting a short corner with a decent volley which beat Sundowns gpalkeeper Denis Onyango.
The Brazilians then took full control of the match, but Gaston Sirino and Sibusiso Vilakazi were very wasteful in front of Baroka’s goal-posts.
Baroka goalkeeper Ayanda Dlamini was called into action by Khama Billiat in the 37th minute and he gathered the Sundowns forward’s well-taken cross.
Sundowns deservedly levelled matters through Wayne Arendse, who headed home a short corner-kick at the back post to make it 1-1 just before the half-time break.
The score was 1-1 at half time between Baroka and Sundowns.
It took only six minutes for Percy Tau to give Sundowns the lead in the second half when he hit the back of the net from Vilakazi’s cut-back pass.
Sundowns’ attackers Tau and Vilakazi were causing havoc for the Bakgaka defence with their pace and trickery.
In the 69th minute, Pitso Mosimane, the Sundowns coach, pulled out Vilakazi and he introduced Themba Zwane as the Brazilians looked to extend their lead.
Billiat had a chance to extend the Brazilians’ lead in the 75th minute, but Dlamini came out and made a good save.
Zwane was also denied by Dlamini in stoppage time to ensure that the game ended in a 2-1 victory in favour of Sundowns.
Baroka (1) 1 (Nguzana 21′)
Sundowns (1) 2 (Arendse 43′, Tau 51′)
Baroka: Dlamini, Mothupa, Kgoetyane, Banda, Mohwatseleng, Sidumo (Matloga 64′), Kgaswane, Madubanya, Chawapiwa (Ngalande 13′), Mdatsane (Sodi 79′), Nguzana.
Sundowns: Onyango, Nascimento, Morena, Langerman, Arendse, Kekana, Vilakazi (Zwane 74′), Mabunda, Sirino (Manyisa 76′), Billiat, Tau (Brockie 85′).
