Johannesburg — Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro converted a controversially-awarded penalty to give South African Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns a 1-0 win at bottom club Cape Town Spurs on Tuesday.
Big-screen replays showed Asanele Velepayi fouling Peter Shalulile just outside the area, and the Namibian then fell to the ground inside the box on 42 minutes.
“I am quite sure the foul was committed outside the area,” said Spurs’ German coach Ernst Middendorp.
Ribeiro notched his 11th league goal of a first season at Sundowns after joining the Pretoria club in mid-2023 from Belgian outfit SK Beveren.
The goal at a cold and wet Athlone Stadium put the 25-year-old South American one ahead of Tshegofatso Mabasa of Orlando Pirates in the Golden Boot race.
The points are coming home with Bafana Ba Style! 👆
Cape Town Spurs 0⃣➖1⃣ Mamelodi Sundowns (42′ Ribeiro)#Sundowns #DownsLive #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/CpY5JEg20y
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) April 9, 2024
Victory lifted Sundowns 13 points ahead of second-placed Stellenbosch with two matches in hand as they chase a record-extending seventh straight league title.
CAF Champions League semi-finalists Sundowns need four victories from 10 fixtures to win the Premiership a 13th time.
The leaders also became the first club to collect 52 points after 20 rounds – beating their record of 50 points last season.
Spurs have 12 points with seven matches to play, five less than Richards Bay. The bottom club are automatically relegated and the side finishing second last enter play-offs.
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Source: AFP
Picture: X/@Masandawana
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