adminA goal in the 76th minute from Teko Modise gave Mamelodi Sundowns a crucial 1-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg to take them level on points with Chiefs at the top of the Absa Premiership. The opening ten minutes belonged to the visitors, who attacked down the right flank and kept the pressure on Chiefs fullback Siboniso Gaxa who likes to push forward, a clear tactical ploy to stop Gaxa attacking.
Hlompho Kekana had the first real shot on goal after 13 minutes but his long-range effort was well wide and never troubled Itumeleng Khune at all.
A minute later Lebogang Mokoena rifled in a shot from close range and this time it did test Khune who had to tip the ball over the crossbar for a corner as the visitors were asking all the questions.
Then, in the 16th minute Siphiwe Tshabalala’s dangerous cross was tipped away by Kennedy Mweene with Kingston Nkhatha lurking just behind him and ready to pounce.
In the 21st minute Chiefs’ in-form defensive midfielder, Willard Katsande, made a great run up field and beat Thabo Nthethe before cutting inside and unleashing a powerful shot, but he got his direction totally wrong.
In the 39th minute George Lebese wasted a good chance when, at the back post following a corner kick, he got his first-time volleyed effort horribly wrong. Reneilwe Letsholonyane sent the follow-up shot way over the bar.
On the stroke of halftime Chiefs almost took the lead when Lebese got in a powerful shot from the right side of the danger area, but Mweene made a strong save.
Chiefs came so close to scoring the opener in the 52nd minute when Morgan Gould got onto a Tshabalala corner and angled his header back across goal, only to see the ball come off the crossbar and back into play. Nkhatha got onto the rebound and headed the ball back onto the bar.
Then in the 76th minute Sundowns opened the scoring through Modise whose floated ball into the box evaded the defenders and his own man Khama Billiat, who tried to get a head to it, but the ball sailed past Khune and into the far corner of goal. — Supersport
Online Reporter