Sundowns stay on track for South African double
Goals from Khuliso Mudau on 11 minutes and substitute Thembinkosi Lorch after 74 minutes put Sundowns in control before a cup tie watched by a sell-out 12,000 crowd took a dramatic turn.
Mamelodi Sundowns players. Picture: @Masandawana
JOHANNESBURG - Mamelodi Sundowns stayed on course for a South African league and cup double when they won 2-1 at Stellenbosch near Cape Town on Sunday in an FA Cup semi-final thriller.
Sundowns will face title-holders Orlando Pirates on June 1 in a final between the two biggest current crowd-pullers in the northeastern city Mbombela.
Goals from Khuliso Mudau on 11 minutes and substitute Thembinkosi Lorch after 74 minutes put Sundowns in control before a cup tie watched by a sell-out 12,000 crowd took a dramatic turn.
Namibian Peter Shalulile blazed an 80th-minute Sundowns penalty over the bar and 60 seconds later Genino Palace halved the deficit.
The Stellenbosch goal set up a tense finish, but the hosts failed to score again and force the semi-final into extra time.
Defeat ended a 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions by the western Cape winelands club, who lie second in the league behind Sundowns.
Sundowns clinched a seventh straight Premiership title in midweek by hammering Kaizer Chiefs 5-1 and are unbeaten in 33 domestic matches since the season began last August.
On Saturday, Kabelo Dlamini scored twice during the first half as Pirates triumphed 3-1 at Chippa United in eastern coastal city Gqeberha.
Elmo Kambindu, a teammate of Shalulile in the Namibian national team, gave Chippa hope with a goal midway through the second half before a 40,000 crowd.
But Pirates regained their two-goal advantage nine minutes from time when Tapelo Xoki poked the ball into the net from close range.