Nicholus Lukhubeni of Mamelodi Sundowns celebrates scoring with Pitso Mosimane during the Absa Premiership match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Chippa United at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on February 15, 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Downs went on to collect all three points at home against Chippa United with a 3-0 score-line to keep up with the pace in the Absa Premiership title chase. The scoreboard could have read a different story, particularly at the end of the first stanza had it not been for the likes of Lebogang Maboe and the company’s wastefulness.
Maboe and his teammates had a million – excuse the necessary hyperbole – chances that fell to them but all they could do is balloon all of them wide off the mark or high up into the stands. Sibusiso Vilakazi can be fingered for his poor decision making as he would take long to make up his mind before taking a shot, affording the opponents to make up some ground.
However, Gaston Sirino did strike the crossbar once following some industrious work by Andile Jali, who won the ball from midfield, lined-up a shot and Sirino followed up with a bolting strike that left the woodwork shaking for a while. Soon after, Maboe also beat goalkeeper Veli Mothwa but his attempt could only find the upright as that summed up Downs’ lack of bite in the final third.
The second half saw one-way traffic and when Mosimane got to a point where he wanted to substitute Sibusiso Vilakazi for Ali Meza, the Bafana Bafana international won a penalty for Downs and Themba Zwane stepped up to convert from 12 yards. Before “Mshishi”, referee Jelly Chavani gave Sandile Mthethwa a red card, supposedly for descent.
Vilakazi went on to score Downs’ third goal from the easiest of tap-ins as he received a delightful ball from Sirino. While Sundowns won the match, it came at the expense of losing key players, Zwane and Denis Onyango, who were both withdrawn because of injuries.
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