Mamelodi Sundowns dropped valuable points in their fight for the Absa Premiership title after suffering a 2-0 defeat against SuperSport United at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday evening, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.
The Brazilians came into this encounter after playing to their 11th draw of the campaign when they played out to a goalless draw against Orlando Pirates, winning just two of their last seven league matches.
Meanwhile, SuperSport came into this game on a four-march unbeaten run in the league, with their most recent encounter ending in a goalless draw against Polokwane City.
The last time the two sides meet earlier this season, Sundowns came out on top after claiming a 2-1 victory over United at the Lucas Moripe Stadium through goals from Lebohang Maboe and Lyle Lakay.
The game got off to a good start with both sides showing their intent early on, but it was SuperSport who looked the more lively side in the opening exchanges of the match.
Emiliano Tade and Aubrey Modiba both had chances at either side of the field, but both Kennedy Mweene and Rowen Williams stood tall between the sticks for Sundowns and United to deny their opposition respectively.
The visitors managed to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark when Grant Kekana beat his marker to guide his header into the far corner from a resulting Modiba corner.
United then went into the halftime break with a 1-0 lead over Sundowns.
SuperSport threatened early in the second half, but were struggling to carve out any real chances in the final third.
Phakamani Mahlambi should’ve have beaten Williams in a one-on-one situation in the 47th minute, but the United keeper came off his line to clear the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box.
Tade could have handed Sundowns the lead after 57 minutes when he latched on to a Tebogo Langerman cross into the area, but Williams did well to collect the his goal-bound header.
Mweene came to his side’s rescue three minutes later when he got down low to deny Bradley Grobler’s shot at goal.
United looked well-structured on defence after 70 minutes, but Sundowns continued to push forward in search of an equalising goal.
The visitors then doubled their lead in the 80th minute when Sundowns failed to clear Modiba’s effort off the line before Ghampani Lungu pounced on the rebound to slot the ball home, 2-0.
Jeremy Brockie had a chance to pull a goal back in the 85th minute when he unleashed a strike from distance, but Williams did well clear his shot away to safety.
Sundowns continued to put pressure on the United defence as Langerman whipped a ball into the area and across the face of goal, but no one was there to connect with his inviting cross.
However, SuperSport held on to their two-goal lead over Sundowns until the final whistle to claim all three points and the bragging rights in this edition of the Tshwane derby.
