Mamelodi Sundowns have broken a three-match winless streak in the league, with a 1-0 victory over Richards Bay in a DSTV Premiership match at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The champions in waiting have extended their lead to 18 over second-placed Supersport United.
Both teams had very few goal-scoring opportunities in the early stages, but the visitors had a decent chance and Ronwen Williams thwarted Sanele Barns’ effort.
A few minutes later, Thapelo Morena scored the opening goal for the Brazilians when the ball ricocheted off a Richards Bay defender and fell kindly to him to score his second league goal of the season.
And moments later Morena’s cross was cleared from the danger area by the visitor’s defence. The champions in waiting made double changes in the 30th minute, replacing the injured Abubeker Nasir and Cassius Mailula with Gaston Sirino and Thabiso Kutumela.
And the two substitutes almost combined for the second goal when Sirino found Kutumela in the box but his effort was easily saved by goalkeeper Salim Magoola.
Two minutes later Lebohang Maboe’s effort on the edge of the box was blocked for a corner. Richards Bay were making progress but Moroccan defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil made a daring tackle in the box to clear the line. The half-time score was 1-0 to the Brazilians.
In the second half, the KwaZulu-Natal team came out guns blazing and were unlucky not to score when an attempt was denied by Mosa Lebusa. A few moments later the Natal Rich Boyz striker Somila Msundwana was denied by Ronwen Williams from close range.
Mpho Mathebula thought he’d levelled matters for his team but unfortunately was denied by the crossbar. Richards Bay came very close to equalizing, but the combination of Williams and Khuliso Mudau was enough to deny them a well-deserved equalizer.
Sundowns will host Algerian team CR Belouizdad in the CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg match on Saturday, while Richards Bay will host Chippa United in a league match next week.
