Maboe spearheads Sundowns past Arrows

by Staff Reporter

Wednesday Sep 19, 2018. 21:47

Lebohang Maboe scored the only goal of the game as Mamelodi Sundowns beat Golden Arrows 1-0 in an Absa Premiership clash at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu on Wednesday evening.

Victory extends Sundowns unbeaten start to the campaign - they duly move up to fifth place on the log standings. Arrows, who have now gone five games without a win, fall to 12th.

Abafana Bes’thende started the game the better of the two teams and Reyaad Pieterse was lucky to see miscommunication between him and Ricardo Nascimento go unpunished by Lerato Lamola in the fifth minute.

The Brazilians finally conjured a shot in anger in the 32nd minute of the match after an attempted clearance fell to Toni Silva inside the area.

The Guinea Bissau international made good contact with the ball, but was unfortunate to see his rasping attempt trouble the side-netting and not the back of the net.

Another chance for the visitors fell to Sibusiso Vilakazi six minutes later, but from a similar position the midfielder also fired wide of goal.

Sundowns duly opened the scoring in the 44th minute following a sustained spell of pressure.

Vilkazi teed up Maboe with a neat touch following a flowing move and the former Maritzburg Untied man made no mistakes as he fired past Nkosingiphile Gumede to give the visitors a narrow lead at the break.

Phakamani Mahlambi squandered two chances for the defending champions in the early exchanges of the second-half, with Gumede doing particularly well to spare his own blushes on the hour mark.

The Arrows shot-stopper fumbled the initial free-kick, but got up well to deny Mahlambi from doubling Sundowns lead from close range.

Arrows offered very little in goal-scoring chances throughout the match and despite upping the tempo in the closing stages, Sundowns were relatively comfortable as they secured all three points to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign.

Golden Arrows (0) 0

Mamelodi Sundowns (1) 1 (Maboe 44')

Golden Arrows: Gumede; Lunga, Mazava, Mngwengwe, Sibisi - Sibeko (Magubane 75'), Phiri, Molefe (Zuke 60'), Venter (Jooste 60') - Lamola, Mutizwa.

Mamelodi Sundowns: Pieterse; Morena, Madisha, Nascimento, Langerman - Kekana (Lakay 85'), Jali, Maboe, Vilakazi - Silva (Meza 70'), Mahlambi (Mabunda 61').