The victory means that the traditional big three of Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns will go into the hat for Monday’s quarterfinal draw.
A 10-man Mamelodi Sundowns outfit did enough to see off ABC Motsepe League side Mpheni Home Defenders 2-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday afternoon to reach the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup.Â
Two first half goals by Tashreeq Matthews and Bathusi Aubaas were enough for the Brazilians to march into the last eight of the season-ending cup competitions.Â
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Matthews was sent off in the 50th minute for a second bookable offence on Fusi Matlabe. However, Sundowns were already cruising to a comfortable victory over the Limpopo-based side.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso made wholesale changes from the team that narrowly lost 1-0 to TS Galaxy in a Betway Premiership clash on Tuesday at Mbombela Stadium.Â
Matthews was the only survivor in the starting XI, with some of Cardoso’s big hitters rested for the game against the amateur side who campaign in the third tier of South African football.Â
It didn’t take long for Sundowns’ second-string team to take the lead in Tshwane.
Matthews improvised to open the scoring in the ninth minute after the ball was played slightly behind him inside the box by Arthur Sales. The 24-year-old controlled the ball with his back to goal, before putting the ball in the back of the net with a cheeky backheel.Â
Aubaas doubled his side’s lead before the half-hour mark with a venomous low shot inside the box from an assist by defender Mosa Lebusa who had pushed up for a corner kick in the 27th minute.Â
As expected, the visitors saw very little of the ball, but they were unlucky not to pull one back after Lucky Buasi’s miscued shot came off the crossbar on the stroke of half-time. This came as a result of sloppy build-up play by Masandawana who were trying to work their way out of trouble from the back.Â
Matthews went from hero to villain when he received his marching orders from referee Msimeleli Mabuto following a late over-the-top challenge that led to a second yellow card five minutes after the break.
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The victory means that the traditional big three of Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns will go into the hat for Monday’s quarterfinal draw alongside SuperSport United, Stellenbosch FC, Durban City and Marumo Gallants.Â
