Pretoria's mid-afternoon and more importantly, Mamelodi Sundowns' precision and panache was too much for Highlands Park as the African Champions waltzed to an effortless 5-0 win.
Pitso Mosimane's side notched up their fourth win in six league matches and even though they are still seven points behind log leaders Bidvest Wits, they have four games in hand.
Their league defence is starting to take shape after a sluggish start and with the kind of form they exhibited, no team would have been able to live with them.
Premier Soccer League sides may be grateful Sundowns have bigger fish to fry in terms of next month's Club World Cup in Japan. Three of their scheduled December fixtures have been postponed.
While the game was effectively over as a contest in the 13 minute when Anthony Laffor's goal from a Thapelo Morena cross gave Sundowns a 2-0 lead, Sundowns finally showed their ruthless streak.
There have been shades of it in their past three league games but they bared their teeth like a salivating hyena with prey in sight.
Percy Tau had a hand in all five goals. He opened proceedings in the seventh minute when he dispossessed Rudi Isaacs, showed the right back a clean pair of heels before blasting his left-footed shot past Tapuwa Kapini. It was his pass from midfield that found the ranging Morena on the right, who found Laffor.
He turned provided for Sibusiso Vilakazi's 35 and Themba Zwane's 37 minute goals that gave Sundowns a 4-0 half-time lead. In Vilakazi's goal, he buzzed in from the left and provided an inch-perfect pass for Vilakazi, who did better than his 34 minute attempt. For Zwane's goal, he collected Laffor's clearing pass, beat Franklin Cale for pace before threading the assist while Zwane's composure did the rest.
If it wasn't for Kapini's excellence and Sundowns' overexcitement in the final third, Highlands Park could have conceded a converted try.
Their coach Gordon Igesund slumped disconsolately in his seat at a stadium where he used watch his Sundowns class of 2006/07 toy with teams the same way his was being torn asunder.
Tau completed his assist hattrick in the 53 minute when the tormented Isaacs turned the ball into his own net.
If it wasn't Kapini's unyielding courage under fire, the score would have crossed double figures. He kept out shots from Laffor, Tau and Morena, even though at times the trio were defeated by their own over exuberance.
To their credit, Highlands Park tried to take advantage of Sundowns' eagerness to attack but most of the times they could not get past Denis Onyango.
Had they scored, they would have desecrated the purity of the footballing show Sundowns put on for their Ka Bo Yellow faithful.
Tau roars as Sundowns maul Highlands
Pretoria's mid-afternoon and more importantly, Mamelodi Sundowns' precision and panache was too much for Highlands Park as the African Champions waltzed to an effortless 5-0 win.
Pitso Mosimane's side notched up their fourth win in six league matches and even though they are still seven points behind log leaders Bidvest Wits, they have four games in hand.
Their league defence is starting to take shape after a sluggish start and with the kind of form they exhibited, no team would have been able to live with them.
Premier Soccer League sides may be grateful Sundowns have bigger fish to fry in terms of next month's Club World Cup in Japan. Three of their scheduled December fixtures have been postponed.
While the game was effectively over as a contest in the 13 minute when Anthony Laffor's goal from a Thapelo Morena cross gave Sundowns a 2-0 lead, Sundowns finally showed their ruthless streak.
There have been shades of it in their past three league games but they bared their teeth like a salivating hyena with prey in sight.
Percy Tau had a hand in all five goals. He opened proceedings in the seventh minute when he dispossessed Rudi Isaacs, showed the right back a clean pair of heels before blasting his left-footed shot past Tapuwa Kapini. It was his pass from midfield that found the ranging Morena on the right, who found Laffor.
He turned provided for Sibusiso Vilakazi's 35 and Themba Zwane's 37 minute goals that gave Sundowns a 4-0 half-time lead. In Vilakazi's goal, he buzzed in from the left and provided an inch-perfect pass for Vilakazi, who did better than his 34 minute attempt. For Zwane's goal, he collected Laffor's clearing pass, beat Franklin Cale for pace before threading the assist while Zwane's composure did the rest.
If it wasn't for Kapini's excellence and Sundowns' overexcitement in the final third, Highlands Park could have conceded a converted try.
Their coach Gordon Igesund slumped disconsolately in his seat at a stadium where he used watch his Sundowns class of 2006/07 toy with teams the same way his was being torn asunder.
Tau completed his assist hattrick in the 53 minute when the tormented Isaacs turned the ball into his own net.
If it wasn't Kapini's unyielding courage under fire, the score would have crossed double figures. He kept out shots from Laffor, Tau and Morena, even though at times the trio were defeated by their own over exuberance.
To their credit, Highlands Park tried to take advantage of Sundowns' eagerness to attack but most of the times they could not get past Denis Onyango.
Had they scored, they would have desecrated the purity of the footballing show Sundowns put on for their Ka Bo Yellow faithful.
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