Magesi almost a stumbling block again, but Sundowns scramble for revenge in the end

Magesi FC did their best to be a stumbling block to Mamelodi Sundowns again and for the most part succeeded, but the Brazilians scrambled late for a comeback 2-1 Betway Premiership victory at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Downs (33 points from 12 games) extended their lead over second-placed Orlando Pirates (27 from 11) to six points and gained revenge for their 2-1 defeat by top flight rookies Magesi, then coached by Clinton Larsen, in the Carling Knockout final in November.

But Downs had to sweat for it at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Almost predictably, Magesi have not won since the final, resulting in Larsen being replaced by Owen Da Gama, who is tasked with rescuing the promoted team as they wallow in second-last place.

Sides coached by the former Highlands Park boss and Bafana Bafana assistant are always tough and hard-running. They showed those qualities in a match they could have got more from had they taken their chances that followed Wonderboy Makhubu’s 12th minute opener.

In the end, Downs’ quality and player power showed through even if the performance was not convincing. Lucas Ribeiro equalised with a classy stunner in the 64th, Peter Shalulile had a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside, then Tashreeq Matthews’ cross was deflected for the 86th-minute winner.

What lacked in finesse was made up for by the fight displayed by Downs that would have pleased coach Miguel Cardoso. The Portuguese’s halftime substitutions also worked, Arthur Sales setting up Ribeiro’s strike and Matthews getting Downs’ clincher.

Sundowns, so used to dominating most teams in the Premiership, but especially those in the bottom half, had a stuttering night.

It was not helped by Bafana right-back Khuliso Mudau going off injured in just the 15th minute, soon after Makhubu’s opener.

National utility player Thapelo Morena, who replaced Mudau, also went off injured in the 51st, replaced by left-footed centreback Mosa Lebusa.

The messiness of Downs’ performance continued to the end despite the result as Divine Lunga received a red card four minutes into added time, both sides ending with 10 men as Magesi’s Ghanaian midfielder Samuel Darpoh was also dismissed in the incident of elbows flying between the two.

Sundowns battled for fluency in the opening half.

Makhubu got the early goal that put the Pretoria giants under pressure, glancing a header past Denis Onyango from left-back Lehlegonolo Mokone’s cross.

Magesi had chances to increase the lead before the break and the Limpopo upstarts continued to alarmingly pick holes in Downs’ out of sorts defence early in the second 45 minutes.

From a quick free-kick Makhubu was played through on the left to force a stop from Onyango. Former South Africa under-23 international Deolin Mekoa was similarly played into space down the right to also shoot at Downs’ keeper.

Sundowns have a lot of firepower, though.

Sales, along with Matthews, was brought on at the break (for Iqraam Rayners and Sphelele Mkhulise). The beanpole Brazilian centre-forward was introduced by Cardoso for the purpose he served, teeing up the Pretoria side’s equaliser.

Grant Kekana’s free kick from the right was swung in, Sales got up strongly at the far post and headed across the face for countryman Ribeiro to superbly scissor-kick past goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.

Sundowns had a legitimate goal disallowed when TV replays showed Shalulile onside getting up unmarked to head in Lunga’s cross in the 78th.

The injustice for Downs was put right by the fortune involved in their winner. The ball was worked across the front of the box to Matthews on the left whose attempted cross took a major deflection off right-back Delano Abrahams to beat Chipezeze at his near post.