Sapholwethu Kelepu of Polokwane City challenged by Marcelo Allende of Mamelodi Sundowns during the Betway Premiership match at Seshego Stadium on Wednesday night.
Image: BackpagePix
POLOKWANE CITY (0)
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (0) 1
Allende 63'
MAMELODI Sundowns cashed in on their game in hand, beating Polokwane City 1-0 at Seshego Stadium to reclaim their two-point lead at the summit of the Betway Premiership table on Wednesday night.
A solitary Marcelo Allende strike in the 63rd minute took the defending champions to 61 points after 26 matches. Orlando Pirates trail Sundowns with 59 points ahead of this weekend’s action, where Sundowns will play the return leg against Polokwane at Loftus. Pirates return to action on Tuesday when they visit Stellenbosch at Athlone Stadium.
Sundowns headed to Seshego on Wednesday night eager to return to winning ways and leapfrog Pirates at the top of the table. However, the Tshwane side had struggled to build momentum in the league recently, drawing their last two games against stubborn coastal sides Stellenbosch and Richards Bay.
On the other hand, City were always going to be a tough customer. In their recent matches, they halted Chiefs’ five-match winning streak, holding them to a goalless draw, while coach Phuti Mohafe pulled off a surprise in their previous home fixture against Sundowns by beating them.
City’s mojo was high ahead of the Seshego kick-off, as they had also held Pirates to a 2-2 draw in Polokwane, throwing a spanner in the works as far as the title race is concerned. For 60 minutes in Seshego, it looked as if Polokwane would continue where they left off, as the net remained untouched.
That was until the introduction of lanky striker Lebo Mothiba, who replaced Peter Shalulile in the 63rd minute; with his first touch, he assisted the Chilean, Allende, who netted his sixth goal of the season.
After that goal, the momentum shifted entirely against the home side. The Brazilians were all over them and, as a result, were awarded a dubious penalty in the 73rd minute.
However, the football gods were not going to allow it — goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula saved Mothiba's poorly executed Panenka.