MAGESI (1) 1
Makhubu 11
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (0) 2
Ribeiro 64, Matthews 86
TALK ABOUT a club being given a taste of their own medicine.
The Brazilians gained sweet revenge for the Carling Knockout final embarrassment they suffered at the hands of the Betway Premiership rookies, Sundowns winning this league match in exactly the same way they were beaten in Bloemfontein back in November.
The league champions were beaten 2-1 as Magesi overcame a first half 1-0 deficit to stun the outright favourites for a result that contributed to Manqoba Mngqithi later being fired as Sundowns coach.
The roles were reversed here last night as substitute Tashreeq Matthews scored the winner late in the match, after Lucas Ribeiro had cancelled out Wonderboy Makhubo’s opener.
To add to the drama of the night in which Peter Shalulile was denied what would have been a third goal in as many matches after being ruled offside, both teams had a man sent off with Samuel Darpor and Devine Luga seeing red for the hosts and the visitors, respectively.
Sundowns dominated play and possession with Magesi content to let them come at them and waited to pounce on the break. From one such play, they found themselves with the ball on the left flank and with Sundowns uncharacteristically marking loosely, they allowed the hosts a lot of space and time for Dimakatjo Komape to deliver an inch perfect cross into the box.
The ball fell flush onto Makhubu’s head, the forward unmarked at the near post, and all he needed to do was direct the ball into the net, giving Dennis Onyango no chance to save.
In the lead so early on, the question was whether the Carling Knockout champions would be able to hold on and survive what was always going to be an onslaught from the country’s best team – the make-up of their line-up notwithstanding.
The Crocodiles kept their shape and harried their opponents in an attempt to stop Sundowns from getting into their rhythm. And while the league champions worked their way into the final third, they were not able to create a single scoring chance – one of their threatening moves being thwarted by a timely big clearance inside the six yard box.
Instead, it was the hosts who almost scored a second, Makhubu failing to complete a brace 10 minutes before the break after being gifted possession when Malibongwe Khoza failed to control the ball passed back to him. But Onyango did well to rush off his line, the Ugandan legend’s experience coming through as he made himself big and swiftly dove to pick the ball from the forward’s feet.
Missing such chances against a side of Sundowns’ quality is always suicidal and so it proved as Ribeiro scores a bicycle kick to equalise, as Mgesi inexplicably went into full defensive mode, inviting their adversaries to come at them.
They then thought they’d taken the lead when an elaborate, training ground free kick, which saw just about everyone Sundowns players touching the ball, ended with Shalulile heading in the second but he did so from an offside position and the Brazilians’ celebrations were short-lived.
But they were celebrating wildly as Morris scored the winner with just four minutes to go – Sundowns getting even for a defeat that stung back in November.