Record-breaker Shalulile nets a hat-trick as Sundowns annihilate Arrows

Thanks to a Peter Shalulile hat-trick, Mamelodi Sundowns have put themselves in a position where they will need to win just two of their remaining five DStv Premiership matches to clinch what will be a fifth successive league crown.

Downs completed a demolition job over Golden Arrows on Tuesday, where the match was over as a contest in the opening 25 minutes as Masandawana had already banged in three goals.

Downs clipped Abafana Bes’thende’s heels with a 6-0 win at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. You might as well change it from the Premier Soccer League to the Peter Shalulile League because it truly is Shalulile’s show.

The lethal striker turned up the volume and netted a hat-trick to reach 21 league goals this season, becoming the first Sundowns player to reach the feat, and becoming only the fourth striker to net 21 goals or more in the PSL era.  

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Shalulile’s first goal came in the 24th minute when Lyle Lakay powered in a corner and the Namibian striker headed home to score his 19th goal of the season. Three minutes later, he doubled up and Themba Zwane was to thank for the assist. The midfield wizard dribbled past his markers and navigated towards goal and found Shalulile, who made no mistake in front of goal.

Just after the hour-mark, Shalulile completed his hat-trick, netting his second trio in as many games as he now chases the 17-year record of 25 league goals set by Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma who represented Kaizer Chiefs at the time.

Gaston Sirino opened the scoring in the 19th minute after George Maluleka played a long ball into the box, finding Mosa Lebusa wide on the right, who returned the ball back into the box with a text-book header, laying it down to the path of Sirino who tapped in to score in the second match running.

Pavol Safranko scored the fourth and Kermit Erasmus also came off the bench in the last 10 minutes to score Downs’ 29th goal in all competitions, and the club’s second 6-0 win in as many games.