To chants of 'Ka Bo Yellow' Sundowns march on, dispatching worthy United

Mamelodi Sundowns march on and everyone who says they are already good for the 2022-2023 DStv Premiership title, including their opposition coach on Monday night of SuperSport United, is right.

Against worthy opponents at Loftus Versfeld, Downs were just that margin better and good for their 1-0 victory secured through Neo Maema’s 43rd minute strike. The post, struck by their talented 20-year-old winger Thapelo Maseko four minutes into added time, denied SuperSport more from the game.

To the chants and singing of Ka Bo Yellow from the stands — Downs’ fans as confident and joyous at the inevitability of it all as they correctly were in the past five seasons — the Brazilians went to win number 12 from 14 games.

Two of the classiest combinations of 2022-2023 — Rulani Mokwena’s impossibly improved trophy machine Sundowns and Gavin Hunt’s talented, tireless SuperSport; both beautifully arranged and drilled — produced a game worth watching even post the wonders of Qatar 2022.

Where the all-round quality of play from attack to defence is this high, 1-0 is a more appropriate scoreline than the entertaining madness of a 4-3.

Before the game Hunt said his depleted United — overachieving for a squad of veterans and young ones to be in third place coming into the game — would play “the right way”. His team did take the game to Sundowns, even if mostly on counterattack, though able to mix that approach up too.

The first half was open and all sliding challenges, shots whacked from angles, attempted overhead kicks, runs and action — perhaps with more goalmouth activity than both coaches might have been comfortable with.

After Teboho Mokoena lost the ball another exciting SuperSport forward, Patrick Maswanganyi, cut in and curled a strike that had Ronwen Williams at full stretch.

From that attempt in the fifth minute the hits kept coming.

United keeper George Chigova had to stop own defender Kegan Johannes’ intercept of Maphosa Modiba’s low pass that flew at the posts, then Thapelo Maseko was free on the right of Downs’ box and steered wide with the goal at his mercy. Marcello Allende’s free-kick was headed inches over by Brazilians centreback Rushine de Reuck and Modiba struck into the side netting.

To cap the action, Sundowns’ opener was classically Sundowns. The ball was worked across the box from left to right via Themba Zwane and Maema’s delightful touch to Cassius Mailula on the right of the box whose persistence under the challenge of Onismor Bhasera saw a pass to the middle to find Maema to smack into the top-left corner.

Almost always when a first half is exciting but loose coaches tighten at the break. It was no surprise when the start to the second half was circumspect from both teams.

Sundowns’ coaches introduced a stinger missile from the bench in the 65th in Peter Shalulile for Gaston Sirino.

Again to their credit, SuperSport still probed, substitute Aubrey Ngoma lifting a connection from the edge of the box just over.

The excellent Maseko ran the length of Downs’ half and shot low from the edge of the area onto the left upright in added time.

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