Mamelodi Sundowns bounced back to winning ways with a comprehensive 5-2 Betway Premiership victory over AmaZulu on Wednesday, a game that had spectacular goals and some defensive bloopers.
Here are the talking points from the game.
GOAL OF THE SEASON ALREADY?
Brayan Leon has not been as prolific so far this season as we have become accustomed to, but was perhaps just waiting for this moment as he netted a stunning strike.
Cassius Mailula’s shot was deflected high into the air and, as it dropped, Leon opened his body and volleyed the ball into the net from 20 yards.
The technique needed to pull it off was insane, but the Colombian forward has that in spades. He will hope this goal is the first of many after a slow start to the campaign.
He then added a second later on after being unselfishly set up by Tashreeq Matthews, side-footing into the back of the net for Sundowns’ fourth goal of the night.
He now has 17 goals in 31 appearances (20 starts) since joining in January and has been a real find. Lucas Ribeiro who?
ANOTHER WORLDIE!
Maybe they were stung by the home loss to Lamontville Golden Arrows in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final on Sunday, but Sundowns netted another banger and it was no surprise that it came from the returning Teboho Mokoena.
He is no stranger to stunning strikes and has built a reputation for them in his career. This is another one to add to the repertoire.
It was a free-kick from 30 yards and in a central position. Mokoena placed his shot into the top corner, about the only place he could have scored.
Again, it was unrivalled technique and another contender for a prize. The Goal of the Month nominees for August may be just Sundowns strikes!
Usuthu had not done a lot wrong in the game and were 2-0 down after 30 minutes.
NGWENYA DOUBLE AGAIN
AmaZulu pulled a goal back seconds after the restart as central defender Malibongwe Khoza tried to clear a cross from the left but succeeded only in kicking the ball into forward Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, who knew little about it but scored nonetheless.
With his second later on, Ngwenya has now scored in each of his five games this season and has seven goals in all in that time. Quite the return so far for the Zimbabwean.
Ronwen Williams could do nothing about the first, but unusually for Sundowns, they have now kept just a single clean sheet in six games in all competitions this season.
It would be fair to say Williams has not been at his best since the World Cup and he was at fault for AmaZulu’s second. He came out for a long ball forward but had ventured outside his area and so could not use his hands.
When the ball passed him in the air, his goal was exposed and Ngwenya got his second.
Coach Miguel Cardoso will hope it is just early-season rust but will know his side need to tighten up at the back.
MATTHEWS ON TARGET
Sundowns restored their two-goal cushion as Tashreeq Matthews poked the ball home from close range.
Usuthu goalkeeper Wilfried Kouassi did not cover himself in glory as he tamely pushed a low cross into the path of the winger, who acted instinctively to score from eight yards.
Remarkably, Matthews was playing in his 70th game in a row for Sundowns, but that was his first goal of the campaign.
He last netted twice in the bizarre 7-4 win over Siwelele in May.
CHERRY ON TOP
Bennet Mokoena came off the bench to score his first goal in professional football when he turned the ball in at the back post in added time at the end of ther game.
It was a proud moment for the 19-year-old, who was making just a ninth appearance of his professional career, and is viewed as having a big future in the game.
He will hope it is the first of many.
