Mamelodi Sundowns returned to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 victory over Cape Town City at Loftus Stadium on Wednesday night.

After a disappointing loss to Polokwane City over the weekend, coach Manqoba Mngqithi made significant changes to his starting lineup. Captain Ronwen Williams and Lucas Ribeiro returned to the team, while several other players were rested.

The Brazilians started the match aggressively, creating several early chances. Their dominance was rewarded in the 16th minute when Namibian striker Peter Shalulile scored a stunning long-range goal.

Sundowns doubled their lead in the 37th minute through Ribeiro, who capitalized on a well-timed cross from Khuliso Mudau.

The second half saw more of the same, with Sundowns continuing to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities. Shalulile completed his brace in the 60th minute, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory for his team.

With Kaizer Chiefs looming large in the Carling Knockout quarter-finals, Mngqithi made tactical substitutions to rest key players and manage their workload.

Cape Town City’s night was further soured by the red card shown to Namibian international Aprocius Petrus in the 80th minute.

Sundowns’ victory has narrowed the gap to league leaders Orlando Pirates to three points. The Brazilians will now turn their attention to their crucial Carling Knockout clash against Chiefs.