Mamelodi Sundowns maintained their 12-point lead at the top of the Betway Premiership table after they dismantled TS Galaxy 4-1 in a one-sided match played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Saturday night.
It was sweet revenge for the defending champions after Galaxy pipped them 1-0 in Mbombela last week. The Brazilians are definitely on the right groove for their eighth successive league title and 15th overall in the PSL era.
In the earlier game also on Saturday, second-placed Orlando Pirates clinched a hard-fought, last-minute 2-1 win over Cape Town City at Orlando and a draw would have dented Bucs’ chances and hopes of catching up with the unstoppable Sundowns. Downs are on 48 points with Bucs on 36 with three games in hand.
Sundowns showed their dominance and brilliance in attack with a rat-a-tat spell that saw them going 2-0 up as early as the seventh minute. The vociferous Sundowns supporters, who blanketed the main grandstand in a sea of yellow, had not even cleared their voices or taken their seats when Peter Shalulile opened the scoring in the first minute. And when Iqraam Rayners made it 2-0 six minutes later, it really looked like it was a going to be a closed-coffin burial for the travelling team.
However, Galaxy regrouped and fought back. They gave the Brazilians a scare when Siphiwe Mahlangu reduced the deficit three minutes later. It looked like Galaxy were up for a fight and the Downs fans were silenced.
But it was not to be as newcomer Jayden Adams rifled home the third goal from close range. This was after a flowing move from Lucas Costa Ribeiro and Thapelo Morena on the right side of the Sundowns attack.
The home side came back from the break determined and Rayners grabbed his brace with a similar goal from Adams’. After that, it was a question of how many more goals were coming and Galaxy did well to keep the scoreline at 4-1.
Sundowns’ next match is against Sekhukhune United in Polokwane on Wednesday night while Galaxy will host Golden Arrows at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.
