Mamelodi Sundowns secured a 3-0 victory over Sivulele on Wednesday, allowing them to extend their six-point lead in the South African Premiership. A strong performance in the second half proved to be the decisive factor in achieving this win.
Match Details
The goal that sealed Mamelodi Sundowns' triumph in Pretoria was scored by Tashrik Matthews. The team defeated the lesser-known Sivulele with a score of 3-0.
Kutlawano Letlaku opened the scoring after the 58th minute in Pretoria. Later goals were scored by substitutes Siyanda Ndlovu and Tashrik Matthews. Previously, Sivulele, which sacked coach Lehlokhonolo Seemu on Sunday due to poor form in the first five matches of the season, held up against Sundowns in the first half thanks to well-organized defense.
Goalkeeper Vandile Mthembu made a series of excellent saves in his debut Premiership match. However, he eventually conceded when Teboko Mokoe's shot rebounded off the crossbar, and Letlaku reacted quickly to send the ball into the net, scoring his first goal of the campaign.
Ndlovu capitalized on a poor back pass to score after the 79th minute, while Matthews broke through and shot past Mthembu in the opening minutes of added time.
Coach's Comments
Sundowns' Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso stated that their objective was to exhaust Sivulele's energy, and they succeeded, noting: 'Our plan was to exhaust Sivulele's energy, and we succeeded. They tired in the second half, and we took advantage of it.'
Currently, Sundowns have accumulated 19 points in seven matches. The second-placed team, Orlando Pirates, the reigning champions, has 13 points and trails by two matches.