Mamelodi Sundowns have recorded another victory at home following a 3-0 win over Magesi FC on Sunday afternoon at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.

From the beginning, the meeting proved to be a challenging one for both sides as they played end-to-end football, but it was the visitors who pulled the first trigger. Ronwen Williams managed to smack the effort away, but it is Malibongwe Khoza who swept up the danger after the short clearance by Williams.

Tashreeq Matthews also almost opened the scoring for his side when he fired a shot from the left flank, but the goalkeeper dived to the far post to deny Matthews.

In the 22nd minute, Kutlwano Letlhaku broke the deadlock for the hosts after he connected with Thapelo Morena’s miscue and punched it past the goalkeeper.

Masandawana continued to test the Magesi defence, and just before the half-hour mark, a corner kick effort saw Arthur Sales looking to find the back of the net through a header, but the keeper tipped it away, nearly missing it.

Morena also tested the goalkeeper when he kept the ball alive after the Magesi defense tried to keep it out. He managed to bypass the goalkeeper and got it to Aubrey Modiba, whose shot was blocked by the keeper. The hosts headed to the interval with the upper hand.

With one man short, Dikwena tsa meets had to work twice as hard, and they didn’t settle for defending. In the second stanza, they threatened the Downs rearguard but just couldn’t get it right.

In the 63rd minute, coach Miguel Cardoso made a triple change, introducing Themba Zwane, Thapelo Maseko, and Siyabonga Mabena, who had an instant impact. On the 64th minute, just after the substitutions, Morena – after keeping the ball alive – crossed to Iqraam Rayners, who doubled the advantage for Masandawana. Ten minutes later, after being awarded a free-kick, Modiba took the setpiece and Rayners redirected the ball into the net with his head to make it three goals for Downs.

Another big opportunity to make it four goals presented itself when Maseko drove the ball into the area, but when he saw how the defence tightened around him, he handed the ball to  Mabena, whose powerful shot sailed above the bar.

Bafana Ba Style concluded the match with a big chance from Rayners’ powerful shot, but his effort went wide.