Birds are put to the sod

Stars or no stars multi-championship winning side Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies proved what they are made of when they put Bluebirds to the sod with a 5–0 scoreline at the Alexandra Stadium.

This drubbing for the Birds in the Sasol Women’s League comes soon after another loss by a 2–0 scoreline suffered at the hands of another championship side, Palace Super Falcons at the Mehlareng Stadium in Thembisa.

The Brazilian ladies, without eight of its regular stars who were called up for Banyana Banyana’s Rio Olympic preparations, hit the back of the net in just nine minutes of play off the boot of Miss Sethunya.

A Birds defender had just cleared the ball from the goal line but shot it straight to the feet of Sethunya, who didn’t need a second invitation to score. Sethunya was at it again in the 25th minute but her goal was ruled offside.

Soon after, in the 27th minute, Andisiwe Mgcoyi latched onto a rebound ball and hammered it home. She followed that goal with yet another in the 30th minute but was denied a brace when the referee ruled her offside. The menacing, lanky striker was not perturbed as she followed the offside goal with a sitter in the 35th minute, leaving Birds keeper Asa Rabalao in sixes and sevens.

Alocia Thobokela made it 4–0 with her goal in the 40th minute, which was followed a little more than a minute later by a goal from Lerato Kgasago and the two teams went into the break with the Brazilian ladies leading 5–0.

There were no scores in the second half but the Brazilians kept the relentless pressure on the Birds substitute keeper, Siphesihle Madala, who surprised many by keeping a clean sheet with numerous brilliant saves under constant bombardment from menacing Downs forwards.

If all the shots at goal were goals, Sundowns Ladies would have put more than a dozen goals into the Birds’ nest, including the two that were ruled offside. The Brazilian ladies keeper was more like someone on holiday as the Birds didn’t give her any nightmares at all.

“I am glad the worst is over,” remarked Birds coach Malvin Khumalo, when asked for his analysis of the game, in reference to the two season-opening games against championship sides, Downs and the Falcons.

“I am over with the tough matches and the team can now start collecting points as well. We made terrible mistakes in the first half and Sundowns took advantage and punished us. Considering that my players are still youngsters, I think they did not do badly.

“This is work in progress and I am not disappointed at all. Sundowns have excellent players and with the quality they have, they deserved to win.”