SHARE
Mamelodi Sundowns have secured passage to the CAF Champions League group stages. This comes after a 2-0 victory in the preliminary round and an emphatic 7-1 aggregate win over Remo Stars on Sunday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld. It was Nuno Santos and Peter Shalulile’s heroics that extended Downs’ advantage to take them straight to the group stages. The hosts came close to an opener in the seventh minute through Khuliso Mudau. From a tight angle on the right flank, he took his chance, but the goalkeeper put his body on the line as he blocked the ball.
Masandawana were taking their chances in front of goal, and finally, in the 21st minute, they were able to find an opener through Nuno Santos. Aubrey Modiba’s press had won him the ball on the left flank. He ran forward with it to make a cut-back, which was found by Santos, who picked a spot and struck a shot to beat the goalkeeper.
Tahsreeq Matthews also looked to add his name on the scoresheet. Inside the area, he had set up Peter Shalulile nicely, but the Namibian man was in an awkward position to strike. He then returned the ball to Matthews, who was able to fire a shot. The shot, however, deflected, missing the target by a few inches.
The visitors took a few chances to find a goal, but the Downs’ rear guard were sweeping the danger away and dispossessing the attack, giving goalkeeper, Denis Onyango, a breather and much less to do.
Just before the interval, from a corner kick taken by Modiba, Shalulile redirected the shot into the box to double Masandawana’s advantage. That was the last action of the opening half, seeing the hosts heading to the break with a 2-0 lead.
Upon return to play, Shalulile nearly prodded it home in the 50th minute after Mudauset set him up. His tap-in effort was, however, blocked by the bodies of the Remo Stars’ defence, denying him an early brace.
The visitors came too close to getting a consolation goal when they outpaced Keanu Cupido while running to the area. From range, they struck a shot that went past Onyango, but it missed the target.
The foot was off the paddle in the second half for the hosts in the second stanza, but the scoring chances kept coming. They were just not getting it right in the finishing.
In the closing stages, Remo Stars almost found the back of the net after a successful counterpress on Cupido. The shot fired for them, however, missed the target. They tested Onyango again but he was alert enough to smack it away to keep a clean sheet. In the end, the two goals were enough to see the Brazilians through to the next round of the competition.
How we lined up: Onyango ©, Mudau, Kekana, Cupido, Modiba, Mokoena, Allende, Santos, Sales, Shalulile, Matthews.
Subs: Pieterse, Lebusa, Lunga, Aubaas, Adams, Reisinho, Ntsabeleng, Letlhaku, Mothiba.
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.