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Sundowns thrash Baroka to go to the top

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Mamelodi Sundowns trounced Baroka 4-0 on Tuesday in wet and chilly Pretoria to replace them as South African Premiership leaders with the halfway mark of the season approaching.

Recently deposed African champions Sundowns could not have wished for a better start as Motjeka Madisha converted a third-minute penalty at Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium.

Themba Zwane scored a second goal before half-time and a second-half brace from Percy Tau completed an emphatic home victory for 2016 CAF Champions League winners Sundowns.

The victory ended a fairytale run as leaders by star-less Baroka, who rose to the top on September 30 and have remained there since despite a string of draws.

Baroka are based in Polokwane and narrowly escaped relegation last season after their first campaign as a top-flight side.

While Baroka are relatively new to elite football, Sundowns have been ever-present since the Premiership was introduced in 1996, winning the title a record seven times.

Sundowns lead Baroka and Orlando Pirates on goal difference with each club having 19 points, but the Pretoria outfit have played three matches less.

“Scoring early helped us a lot tonight,” admitted Sundowns coach and former South Africa striker Pitso Mosimane. “It gave us confidence that has been lacking at times this season.

“We had a good rhythm, passed the ball cleverly and the dedicated training of Percy (Tau) is starting to pay rich dividends. A lack of goals has been his lone weakness.”

Baroka coach Kgoloko Thobejane said his team spent far too much time defending and chasing after opponents because they conceded possession cheaply.

“We kept giving the ball away and that is fatal against a quality outfit like Sundowns,” he said.

“I am not disheartened, though, and believe we will learn from this hiding and bounce back.”

Cape Town City would have topped the table had they beaten Maritzburg United, but fell to a 4-2 loss in a home fixture staged about 1 500 kilometres (930 miles) from their base.

The Cape Town Stadium was unavailable because it hosts the second leg of the World Rugby Sevens series this weekend and City were unhappy with the pitch at an alternate venue.

So they moved the match to Princess Magogo Stadium in Indian Ocean port city Durban and took the lead before conceding three goals in a disastrous 13-minute second-half spell.

It was an unexpected scoreline as mid-table Maritzburg had scored a meagre five goals in 10 previous league matches this season.

Pirates and 2017 CAF Confederation Cup runners-up SuperSport United drew 0-0 in a Soweto clash that was not short of scoring chances on a pitch made heavy by day-long rain.

Sifiso Myeni could have won the game for SuperSport against his former club with one minute left, but his low, hard volley from the edge of the box flew just wide.

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