Mamelodi Sundowns Overcomes Stubborn Baroka FC in Exciting DStv Premiership Tie

• Sundowns have continued their ascent into the heavens after recording a hard-fought 2-1 win over Baroka FC
• With the win, the Brazilians extend their lead at the top of the table to 15 points, with the title all but assured
• Masandawana also became the first side to cross the 40-point mark in the top-flight this term

Despite playing with only 10 men in the second half of their DStv Premiership encounter at home to Baroka FC, Mamelodi Sundowns bagged all three points with a 2-1 win to assert their dominance on this season's DStv Premiership on Tuesday.

In the process, Masandawana became the first side to cross the 40-point mark and stretched their lead over second-placed Kaizer Chiefs by 15 points, the only other team to record as many points at the halfway stage of the league, albeit in their 2014/15 championship-winning season, IOL reported.

The Brazilians came close to opening their account as early as the second minute of the encounter, but Rushine De Reuck nodded Lyle Lakay’s well-taken corner wide of the mark.

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KickOff reported that Peter Shalulile was taken off the field on a stretcher following a collision in the area and had Pavol Safranko introduced as Sundowns were forced to make changes to their line-up inside half an hour.

The home side appeared to be all sorts on the way to nearly gifting Richard Mbulu the opener with Denis Onyango caught napping to a well-taken throw-in.

Baroko search for way in

However, the Chloorkop side, managing to shake off the unwarranted nervy opening exchanges, were reduced to ten players after Kermit Erasmus – in a rare starting berth for Sundowns – earned himself a second yellow card for dissent a mere short while after being shown his first.

That didn’t affect Sundowns as Rivaldo Coetzee duly tapped a loose ball into an empty net from Lakay's free-kick moments later. Baroka looked to up the ante with their one-man advantage as star man Evidence Makgopa and Nhlanhla Mgaga entered, while Themba Zwane had a shot from Safranko’s layoff saved at the other end.

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Baroka saw Bennett Bobete's rifling header work Onyango to a save from a ball on the right side with just over 10 minutes played in the second half. The visitors continued to probe and got their reward with 19 minutes left on the clock when Mbulu's shot slammed the top corner of the net from a testing angle.

For the reigning champions, it was just a near-blight on a perfect season as Sundowns reclaimed the lead with seven minutes to go. Zwane had taken a reverse pass from Thapelo Morena in his stride to find the far corner from outside the area.

Once the final whistle rang out to signal the end of the affair, Masandawana were again assured of their propensity to win titles by recording yet another win.

Sundowns chase historic unbeaten DStv Premiership season

In recently published news, Briefly News reported that Sundowns is odds-on to clinch its record-extending fifth consecutive DStv Premiership title with halfway in the season having just been reached.

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Masandawana edged out SuperSport United 1-0 in the Tshwane Derby on Saturday night, increasing their lead to 12 points ahead of Chiefs. The team sits on 37 points after 15 matches, boasting 11 wins and only four draws.

No team has ever gone unbeaten through an entire season in the top league of South African football since the advent of the Premier Soccer League in 1996. However, Seven Stars FC achieved the remarkable feat in 1997/98 in the National First Division, the second tier of local football.