Orlando Pirates spent Saturday evening on top of the table. Mamelodi Sundowns let them enjoy the view until late on Saturday night.
The Sundowns Durban City result: Mamelodi Sundowns 4, Durban City 1, in the Betway Premiership at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, with Sundowns 1-0 up at the break. Afrik-Foot, Pan Africa Football and iDiski Times all reported the 4-1 once the final whistle had gone, and FotMob’s match centre lists the same five goals.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Result | Mamelodi Sundowns 4-1 Durban City |
| Half-time | Sundowns 1-0 |
| Sundowns goals | Thabang Matuludi 2, Iqraam Rayners 79′, Antonio Van Wyk 90+4′ |
| Durban City goal | Jean Lwamba 86′ |
| Venue | Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg |
| Kick-off | 20:15 |
| Competition | Betway Premiership |
Matuludi rises twice
Sundowns had the first look. Afrik-Foot reports that Durban City goalkeeper Fredrick Asare had to save from Cassius Mailula after nine minutes, and the visitors held out until just past the half-hour. Then a corner came in, nobody picked up Thabang Matuludi, and he headed Sundowns in front. Marcelo Allende is credited with the delivery by both Afrik-Foot and FotMob. It was the only goal of the first half.
Midway through the second half, Matuludi did it again. Another header, this time from Aubrey Modiba’s ball, and Sundowns were two up. iDiski Times notes that it was his first brace for the club.
Sundowns Durban City result: late goals at both ends
The third came from the bench. Iqraam Rayners, on as a substitute, finished from close range after 79 minutes, from Siyanda Ndlovu’s cross. At 3-0 with 11 minutes to play, the contest was over.
Durban City kept going, and got their reward with four minutes left. Jean Lwamba took a touch inside the box and finished, ending the Sundowns clean sheet. There was still time for one more. Deep in added time, Antonio Van Wyk took Arthur Sales’ pass and finished calmly with what iDiski Times describes as the last kick of the game.
Why it matters
This was a reply to the afternoon’s news from Soweto. Orlando Pirates had gone top by beating Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in the Soweto Derby, and for a few hours the log had a new leader. Sundowns came into the evening on 23 points from nine games, two behind, so anything less than a win would have left them second overnight. They took the hint. Three points in Rustenburg change the picture again. Mamelodi Sundowns move back to the top on 26 points from 10 games, with Pirates second on 25, according to Afrik-Foot and iDiski Times.
The catch is Pirates’ game in hand. Win it, and they go back above Sundowns. The race has a proper shape to it at the start of November, and that is good news for the neutrals.
For Durban City, Lwamba’s late goal is the one thing to take home from a long trip to the North West.
Our view: the story of the night is not the scoreline but the timing. Sundowns knew the derby result before kick-off, knew they had dropped to second, and still went about the job with no sign of panic. Two headed goals, the first from a corner, are the kind that win titles in a tight year, because they do not depend on the forwards having a good night. Pirates have the game in hand. Sundowns have the habit of winning when they have to.
What comes next
The race at the top now turns on Pirates’ game in hand. With one point between the two clubs, every round from here will be watched as closely in Soweto as it is in Pretoria. The rest of Saturday’s Premiership results are rounded up separately.