Staff Reporter.
Mamelodi Sundowns maintained their perfect start to the DStv Premiership season with a 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
Lucas Ribeiro scored for the second game in succession to put the Brazilians ahead midway through the first half, although they seemed destined to come away with a share of the spoils after Ashley Du Preez equalised seven minutes from time.
However, Neo Maema stepped off the bench to net a dramatic last-minute winner for Rulani Mokwena’s side to leave Molefi Ntseki still searching for his first win at the helm for the Soweto giants.
Sundowns were looking to make it two wins from two at the start of the season after beating Sekhukhune United 2-1 last Friday, while Chiefs kicked off proceedings with a 0-0 draw against Chippa United two days later.
The hosts wasted little time as they went in search of the opening goal and Ribeiro had two attempts early on, pulling a shot just wide of the right post from range in the fifth minute before testing Brandon Petersen with a low strike on seven minutes.
Chiefs had given a good account of themselves in early exchanges. However, they made a costly defensive error in the 20th minute; Thatayaone Ditlhokwe played a backpass to Petersen who passed to Edson Castillo.
The latter was casual with the ball and it fell to unmarked Peter Shalulile who set up Ribeiro to score his second goal of the season.
Masandawana threatened again on the half-hour mark when Mosa Lebusa found space at the near post to steer a header over the crossbar from a corner and Ribeiro almost doubled their lead nine minutes later as he forced Petersen into a fine save after being played in by Themba Zwane.
Sundowns headed into the halftime break a goal to the good and were soon on the attack in the second half as Ribeiro teed up Shalulile with a square pass four minutes in, but the ball got stuck under Namibian striker’s feet and his shot lacked the necessary power to beat Petersen.
The Glamour Boys goalkeeper was alert to the danger in the 67th minute when he raced off his line to deny Shalulile one-on-one and breathed a sigh of relief as Thapelo Maseko fired wide on the follow-up.
Petersen was called into action again nine minutes later as he pulled off two saves in quick succession from Maseko and Marcelo Allende before Amakhosi snatched an equaliser against the run of play.
The visitors had offered almost nothing in terms of an attacking threat, but they were back in the contest with seven minutes left to play when Du Preez met Tebogo Potsane’s cross to guide his shot into the bottom left corner of the net.
Parity lasted just six minutes though, as Maema timed his run into the box to slot past Petersen at the death from Teboho Mokoena’s pass.
Meanwhile Cape Town City made it two wins from two in their start to the 2023/24 DStv Premiership campaign, following a narrow 1-0 triumph over Moroka Swallows on Wednesday afternoon.