Sundowns down Gallants as attention turns to MTN8 showdown with Pirates

Mamelodi Sundowns returned to the top of the DStv Premiership standings with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Marumo Gallants at Loftus on Wednesday night.

Sundowns are on top on goal difference as second-placed Richards Bay, who also have 22 points, pulled off a stunning 1-0 win over Cape Town City in another match on Wednesday night.

This win will serve as huge motivation for the Brazilians as they turn their attention to the crunch MTN8 semifinal, second leg clash against rivals Orlando Pirates at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday.

The solitary goal of the match was scored by Sphelele Mkhulise in the second half after he was handed a rare starting place in the midfield alongside enforcer Teboho Mokoena.

They meet a Pirates side that will also be highly motivated after they registered a much-needed 2-0 league win over Golden Arrows on Tuesday to move to the top half of the table.

The next 10 days before the season takes a break for the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, are going to be busy for Sundowns as they play Pirates on Saturday and return to league action against Maritzburg United and Royal AM next week.

The scheduling is not punishing for Gallants, who have Caf Confederation Cup match against Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya next month, as they have league fixtures against AmaZulu and Cape Town City before the break.

While Sundowns returned to the top of the pile, Gallants have dropped to the bottom of the log with nine points from 10 matches and coach Dan Malesela and his men have a mountain to climb to revive their campaign.

It was a game of cat and mouse during the opening exchanges where the Brazilians dominated possession in the midfield where Mokoena, Gaston Sirino, Mkhulise and Marcelo Allende operated.

It was not all Sundowns as Marumo had their moments in the game through attacking players like Pule Maraisane, Sizwe Mlindzo, Celimpilo Ngema and Katlego Otladisa but they did not beat Ronwen Williams.

Sundowns opened the scoring in the 27th minute through midfielder Mkhulise, who blasted the ball past Marumo's stranded goalkeeper Washington Arubi for his first strike of the season.

For the opener, Themba Zwane started the move from deep in the midfield before laying the ball for advancing Mokoena who put the ball in the path of Mkhulise to do the rest.

In the second half, Gallants pilled more pressure on Sundowns in search of the equaliser and possibly the winner but they could not break the Brazilians’ defence that was marshalled by Mosa Lebusa and Rushune de Reuck.

The match ended with drama as the near side assistant disallowed Marumo’s goal for offside.