Sundowns regain Premiership lead, Chiefs’ unbeaten run ended

Mamelodi Sundowns regained the lead in the Betway Premiership, making their game in hand count with a 1-0 victory against Polokwane City at Seshego Stadium on Wednesday night and setting up a gripping final sprint to the trophy.

Downs (61 points from 26 games) finally overtook Orlando Pirates (59 from 26) to take a two-point lead having spurned two chances last week to go top as they were held to draws by Stellenbosch FC at home (1-1) and Richards Bay FC away (0-0).

The second of those came on Sunday night, following close on the heels of Pirates being held to a 1-1 draw by a gritty Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby at FNB Stadium.

Chiefs were also in action as two games were played on Wednesday night, Amakhosi seeing their seven-match unbeaten run ended fairly convincingly, 2-0 against Siwelele FC at Free State Stadium, in a blow to the Soweto giants’ charge of recent weeks to shore up a third-place finish.

Amakhosi, though, with 47 points from 26 games, still enjoy a healthy five-point lead over fourth-placed AmaZulu (42 from 26).

In Polokwane, Sundown put in a solid shift, pressing on the front foot to create a string of chances but could not score more than midfield workhorse Marcelo Allende’s 63rd-minute decider.

Masandawana’s breakthrough came as Lebo Mothiba, on for Peter Shalulile just a minute earlier and with practically his first touch, received the ball from Teboho Mokoena with his back to goal on the edge of the box and laid off for Chilean Allende next to him, who finished low past goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula.

Ten minutes later Downs defender Khulumani Ndamane was brought down in City’s box and referee Sikhumbuzo Gasa pointed to the spot. Mothiba stepped up for the penalty but saw his effort stopped by Mathebula in the 74th.

In Bloemfontein, early goals from Tebogo Potsane (seventh minute) and Siphesihle Jeza (26th) provided Siwelele with a victory that saw the Free State side climb from 11th to ninth place.

Potsane scored against old club Chiefs after capitalising on a rebound. Former SuperSport United youth product Jeza scored his first professional goal after Potsane had played Ghampani Lungu free on the left to square, the 20-year-old finishing past Brandon Petersen.

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