Brazilians too strong for Stars

Goals from Surprise Moriri, Anthony Laffor and Lebohang Mokoena powered Mamelodi Sundowns to a 3-1 win over Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The result sees the Brazilians close to within three points of Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs (who have now played a game less), while Dikwena drop to eighth on the log after suffering just their second home defeat of the season.

Sundowns opened the scoring just before the midway point of the first half. Overlapping left-back Mzikayise Mashaba beat several challenges before playing a hard, low cross to the near post and Surprise Moriri provided a sharp finish from close range that went in via the underside of the crossbar.

The visitors doubled their lead four minutes into the second half, with Lebohang Mokoena providing a cutback from the left by-line and Anthony Laffor easily finished from close range to make it 2-0.

With just under 20 minutes to play, Laffor sprinted free on goal and tried to round Siyabonga Mpontshane, but the goalkeeper brilliantly stuck out his right hand and cleanly won the ball to keep his side within two goals.

However, the ‘keeper was beaten by Mokoena in the 78^th minute. The Sundowns attacker charged down a clearance from a defender before firing a low, long-range drive into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

Stars gave themselves a glimmer of hope with a goal in the 81^st minute. Sandilands, who had a while earlier injured his ankle, came for a cross from a corner kick but got nowhere near the ball, allowing Robert Ng’ambi a free header to make it 3-1.

Platinum Stars (0) 1 (Ng’ambi 81’)

Mamelodi Sundowns (1) 3 (Moriri 21’, Laffor 49’, Mokoena 78’)

Stars: Mpontshane, Mere, Gumede, Semenya, Mpeta, Sarr (T. Mthembu 64’), Mhlongo, Malokase (Ngele 42’), Ng’ambi, Hadebe, (Makudubela 61’) S. Mthembu

Sundowns: Sandilands, Mphahlele, Schut, Nthethe, Mashaba, Modise, Kekana, Moriri (Nyandoro 63’), Mokoena (Malajila 81’), Wome (Zungu 63’), Laffor

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