SuperSport storm back to hold Sundowns in thrilling Tshwane derby

The footballing Gods made sure the DStv Premiership tie between Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United had all the ingredients of a cracking derby, and in the end both ends of the capital city were left smiling, if a little ruefully, as the tie ended 2-2 at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

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At this rate, Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos might have to consider taking a closer look at Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Neo Maema as he scored another beauty. Maema’s collection of marvellous strikes is piling up, as he makes the most of rare starts in the DStv Premiership.

His goal on the stroke of half-time was created by wing back Lyle Lakay, who had so much freedom in the first half that you would easily confuse him for an attacking midfielder. Lakay found Themba Zwane, whose pass fell into the path of Maema he fired from long range past a helpless Ronwen Williams.

As though that goal was not enough, Maema turned provider with a gorgeous pass, lobbing the ball to the alert Peter Shalulile. The Namibian striker finished with an equally brilliant strike to net his ninth goal of the season just after the start of the second stanza.

And as the saying goes, records are meant to be broken and it took 11 games for Sundowns to concede a goal in the league. It was Gamphani Lungu who ended Downs’ run of 13 clean-sheets, but credit must go to Jamie Webber for having the guts to test Denis Onyango from distance. The veteran goalkeeper could not hold on to the ball and spilled it right in front of Lungu, who made sure to pull one back for the visitors.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man and that man was Teboho Mokoena for SuperSport, who stood over a dead ball from some distance from Onayngo’s goal. It appeared that the goalie would see the ball all the way but Man-of-the-Match Mokoena’s brilliant free-kick had the Ugandan international beaten to rescue a point for SuperSport.