Johannesburg – Uruguayan Gaston Sirino scored to give Mamelodi Sundowns a 1-0 victory at Golden Arrows on Wednesday, and a four-point lead after seven rounds of the South African Premiership.
The slightly built 30-year-old midfielder fired a low shot past Namibian goalkeeper Maximilian Mbaeva on 58 minutes to win the match in Indian Ocean port city Durban.
It was a smartly created goal by the record 11-time Premiership winners with a backheel and a perfectly weighted pass setting up Sirino to shoot from the edge of the box.
Mid-table Arrows wasted a chance to equalise when Michael Gumede missed a penalty.
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Seeking a record-extending fifth consecutive league title, Sundowns have 19 points from six victories and a draw away to lowly Chippa United.
The Pretoria club lost only once in 30 Premiership matches last season – at home to Kaizer Chiefs – and many pundits believe they can go one better in this campaign and finish unbeaten.
Sirino, Ugandan goalkeeper Denis Onyango, Kenyan centre-back Brian Mandela and Namibian forward Peter Shalulile started for Sundowns.
The number of imports rose to five during the second half when Brazilian centre-back Ricardo Nascimento came off the bench to play on a pitch with many grass-less patches.
Winners AmaZulu anger coach
SuperSport United, the other Pretoria club among 16 in the Premiership, lie second with 15 points and Royal AM and Stellenbosch share third place with 13 each.
Seventh-place AmaZulu, a Durban club who exceeded expectations last season by finishing runners-up behind Sundowns, angered coach Benni McCarthy despite a 1-0 win over bottom club TS Galaxy in Mbombela.
“I keep telling my players that football is a simple game, but they do not listen most of the time,” said the 2004 UEFA Champions League winner with Jose Mourinho-managed Porto.
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“Football becomes complicated when silly players do unaccustomed things. Lionel Messi and other world superstars do not do that.”
“I remained silent at half-time, believing the look on my face would say it all,” added McCarthy, 43, who played for top-flight clubs in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and England.
AmaZulu claimed the only goal on 56 minutes with slick passing and good off-the-ball movement creating space for Luvuyo Memela to fire home.
Elsewhere, Maritzburg United and Orlando Pirates drew 0-0 and Royal snatched a 2-2 draw at lowly Marumo Gallants thaaks to an added-time goal by Sedwyn George.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Getty Images
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