Mamelodi Sundowns completed their 11th win in a row in the DStv Premiership as they dispatched Cape Town Spurs 3-0 at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday evening.
The win gave Sundowns a huge morale booster ahead of their CAF Champions League group stage match away to Pyramids in Cairo next week.
For Spurs, though, the tough return to the top-flight continued as they’ve now won only one game and lost 13 of the 14 since the start of the season.
Sundowns’ dominance is so alarming that it’s perhaps safe to say the only team that can beat them in the league this season is Sundowns.
Makeshift team
The Brazilians fielded their makeshift team for this match, with most of their regulars rested for the must-win return match against Pyramids in Cairo on Tuesday.
Missing the services Themba Zwane, Ronwen Williams, Peter Shalulile and Lucas Ribeiro from the starting Xl hardly seemed to matter for Sundowns.
Such was the sheer dominance of the Brazilians, they went into the break in control - and 2-0 up - thanks to some fluid and entertaining football.
Of course, there’s no battle won without a leader. And the leader for Sundowns on this occassion was Sipho Mbule, the maestro reminding the football fraternity of his talent.
Mbule opened the first half’s scoring spree with a thunderbolt into the top-corner after pouncing on a loose ball inside the box to beat Neil Boshoff in the Spurs goal.
That was a crowing moment for Mbule who had been a nuisance for Spurs as he made the most of his chance to to don the Sundowns jersey.
At one point, Mbule had danced his way into the box, mesmerising the Spurs’ defence with skill and trickery but his hard work didn’t bear any fruit.
Mbule had another chance to grab his brace but his long-range shot was parried against the upright by Boshoff just before the half-time.
Grant Kekana has his say
No man is an island though. So much so that Grant Kekana scored Sundowns’ second goal in the first half, pouncing on a loose ball.
Leading up to the goal, Lesiba Nku looked to have fouled Michael Morton but referee Jelly Chavani wasn’t interested in Spurs’ appeal.
It had been a good half for Sundowns in that they should have opened the scoring early on, but Boshoff pulled of a save to deny Abubeker Nasir.
The Ethiopian had turned classily inside the box before unleashing a shot which came off Lubeni Kaukongo to force Boshoff into a diving save.
Boshoff had a busy first half as he saved his team from conceding three unanswered goals as he saved Mashego’s effort from close-range.
And with the job half done in the first half, Downs took their foot off the gas a bit in the second half but Mbule was still the conductor, directing play.
Mbule was substituted on the 70th minute but Shalulile ensured they bagged their 11th win in a row - tapping home from close range later on.