THE FIRST derby of the season between the Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United was not short on tension or scuffles.
Their MTN8 clash produced the type of performances derbies in the world are all about.
It seems Bafana ba Style’s African safari in the Caf Champions League has taught them a thing or two about using mind games to get a favourable result, as they won the match 3-1 to proceed to the next round of the MTN8.
Wayne Arendse, newly recruit Sibusiso Vilakazi and Khama Billiat found the net for Pitso Mosimane’s charges, while substitute Kingston Nkhatha scored for Matsatsantsa a Pitori.
The victory redeems Sundowns after their 3-1 loss to Enyimba in the Champions League last week.
Downs joined Bidvest Wits, Cape Town City and Chippa United in the MTN 8 semifinals.
Even before the match had begun, the two sides were at each other’s throats.
Home team Sundowns argued that they are used to sitting on the right side of the bench for their home games, even though they use the changing rooms on the left.
The squabble almost delayed the start of the match – so much so that the Premier Soccer League had to intervene.
This saw Sundowns retreat to their bench with minutes to spare before the first whistle.
Tension kept rising throughout the first half, with affairs on a knife edge.
SuperSport defenders Morgan Gould and Clayton Daniels roughed up Sundowns’ keeper, Denis Onyango, a few times in the first half as they tried to intimidate him.
Downs’ Olympian, Keagan Dolly, is seemingly still recovering from the Rio de Janeiro trip, but Percy Tau showed why he shouldn’t be loaned out again after spending half of last season with National First Division side, Witbank Spurs.
He put on a Man-of-the-Match performance.
Stuart Baxter will have to use the international break to get his charges to work on producing better results.
Baxter and SuperSport have now lost two matches in a row this season, first losing to
Platinum Stars in the Absa Premiership and now to their neighbours, Sundowns.
