Mamelodi Sundowns star midfielder Teboho Mokoena celebrates his goal against Marumo Gallants on Tuesday night.
Image: Backpagepix
Mamelodi Sundowns returned to the top of the Betway Premiership standings with a 3–1 victory over Marumo Gallants at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday.
The Brazilians extended their winning run to eight matches, moving to 50 points and opening a two-point gap over Orlando Pirates as the title race gathered pace.
Midfielder Teboho Mokoena proved decisive, coming off the bench at half-time to score a brace and settle the match in Pretoria. Sundowns began on the front foot, dominating possession and territory, and were rewarded in the 31st minute through a slice of fortune.
A dangerous delivery from Nuno Santos caused panic in the Gallants box, with Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya inadvertently diverting the ball into his own net.
The hosts looked in control and created further chances through Brayan Leon and Santos, but their inability to extend the lead proved costly.
A moment of indiscipline allowed Gallants back into the contest when Santos handled the ball inside the area in the 39th minute. Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending the sides into the break level at 1–1.
With the game finely poised, Sundowns turned to their bench in the second half, introducing Mokoena to inject energy into the midfield. The impact was immediate. Mokoena won possession deep in his own half before driving forward and combining with Arthur Sales, eventually finishing calmly into the bottom corner to restore Sundowns’ lead.
From there, Sundowns controlled proceedings, limiting Gallants’ attacking threat while probing for a third goal to secure the result. That decisive moment arrived in stoppage time, with Mokoena once again at the heart of it.
The midfielder capped off an influential cameo by grabbing his second of the night, putting the result beyond doubt and underlining Sundowns’ superiority.
Despite rotating their squad with one eye on CAF Champions League commitments, Sundowns’ depth once again proved decisive. Gallants showed resilience but ultimately lacked the cutting edge to trouble the hosts consistently.
In the end, it was a professional display from Sundowns, who combined control with clinical finishing when it mattered most — a combination that keeps them firmly on course in the race for domestic honours.