Seven-Goal Thriller Sees Sundowns Bounce Back To Crush AmaZulu

Mamelodi Sundowns turned on the style at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday, cruising to a 5-2 victory over AmaZulu to climb into second place on the Betway Premiership table.

It was a much-needed win for the Brazilians, who were looking to bounce back after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Golden Arrows in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final over the weekend.

Teboho Mokoena returned to the starting line-up after missing three games through injury and marked his comeback with a goal.

The match started at a slow tempo, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances during the opening 15 minutes.

However, Bryan Leon broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a stunning volley from outside the box. The AmaZulu goalkeeper barely reacted as the ball flew into the net, giving Sundowns a 1-0 lead. It was Leon’s first goal of the season.

Five minutes later, Mokoena doubled Sundowns’ lead with a brilliant free-kick that found the top corner.

Leon came close to adding a third in the 39th minute when he again tried his luck from outside the box, but his effort went just wide.

The Brazilians went into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

The second half resumed with intensity, with AmaZulu quickly pulling a goal back in the opening minutes. Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya got on the scoresheet after a cross deflected off his leg following an attempted clearance by Malibongwe Khoza, sending the ball into the back of the net.

However, Sundowns responded almost immediately. In the 50th minute, Tashreeq Matthews restored the Brazilians’ two-goal advantage, firing the ball into an open net after the AmaZulu goalkeeper’s attempted save fell to him.

As the game progressed, the intensity increased, with both sides pushing forward and creating chances as they searched for another goal.

Leon completed his brace in the 66th minute. Matthews struck the ball, but his effort hit the post and came back to him. He then opted to pass to Leon, who was inside the box, and the striker made no mistake, firing the ball into the back of the net to make it 4-1.

AmaZulu refused to give up and pulled another goal back in the 70th minute. Ngwenya capitalised on a costly mistake from Ronwen Williams, who attempted to catch the ball but failed to hold on to it. Ngwenya reacted quickly and fired the loose ball into the back of the net to make it 4-2.

In the 81st minute, Themba Zwane found himself unmarked outside the box and unleashed a shot, but his effort sailed just over the crossbar, narrowly missing the chance to add a fifth for Sundowns.

In the 90th minute, youngster Bennett Mokoena put the finishing touch on Sundowns’ dominant performance, unleashing a powerful strike to make it 5-2 and seal a convincing home victory for the Brazilians.