Cape Town City’s 3-2 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns threw the race for the Premiership championship title race wide open at Loftus Stadium on Monday after Downs failed to close the six points gap log leaders Kaizer Chiefs enjoy on top the log summit.
A goal in both halves by Surprise Ralani and a third by Kermit Erasmus was enough to seal a well-deserved win for the Cape-side, while Wayne Arendse and Keletso Makgalwa pulled two back for the Brazilians and Erasmus, who has scored 11 goals this season, getting on the score at the stroke of half time.
Makgalwa’s goal came towards the end of the one-sided encounter that had the boys from the Mother City determined to return to coronarivus bio-bubble hotel with maximum points.
Ralani opened his brace account after running onto Shane Roberts’ through ball, and took a shot at keeper Denis Onyango but his effort rebounded, he however recovered in time managed to sneak in the rebound.
It took 30 minutes before City added their second when Mduduzi Mdantsane whipped an overhead pass to Erasmus as the forays into the Downs box became regular. Erasmus lobbed it over Onyango, who looked completely dazed after deserting his line.
In order to give coach Pitso Mosimane not much headache and some hope of a push back, Arendse’s struck at the stroke of the half time whistle after running into the box to connect Gaston Sirino’s in swinger from the corner to give Masandawana their opening goal.
Adding his second to his tally, Ralani brilliantly chipped the ball from outside the box, then two minutes into added time, Makgalwa made a solo run through to unleash a shot past The Citizens keeper Peter Leeuwenburgh, giving Sundowns hope of bouncing back but it was not to be.
While City had the upper hand in the opening half and made numerous forays into their opponents box, Downs looked subdued, committing themselves by making a number of defensive mistakes, at times leaving Onyango exposed.
Before the start of the second stanza, Mosimane approached the match complaining on the touchline before taking his seat in the dugout.
