Shalulile, Ribeiro help Sundowns open PSL season with a win over gallant Sekhukhune

Mamelodi Sundowns have opened their DStv Premiership campaign with a 2-1 win over Sekhukhune United.

The defending champions dominated proceedings from the first whistle and opened a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute following a penalty by striker Peter Shalulile after a handball by Edwin Gyimah.

Five minutes later, things went from bad to worse for the home side when  Vusimuzi Mncube received a contentious straight red card for clattering into Teboho Mokoena.

Sundowns almost extended their lead in the 20th minute after Shalulile found Aubrey Modiba but Badra Ali Sangaré in the Sekhukhune goal palmed his effort away.

Sundowns' new Brazillian signing, Lucas Ribeiro Costa was next to go close, but again, Sangaré kept the score at 1-0.

Sangaré then kept out another Sundowns effort in the 30th minute, this time from Shalulile, as the visitors looked for their second goal.

Ribeiro had another chance on 41 minutes, but this time Gyimah deflected his shot wide of the posts as Sundowns took a 1-0 lead into half-time.

While Sundowns dominated, Sekhukhune almost levelled things up deep into injury time when Chibuike Ohizu headed just wide from a Nyiko Mobbie cross as the teams went into half-time at 1-0.

In the second half, Sundowns extended their lead to 2-0 in the 57th minute through a simple tap-in from Ribeiro thanks to a Thapelo Maseko assist.

Sekhukhune hit back a few minutes later as Jamie Webber slotted home from a free-kick outside the box to cut Sundowns' lead to 2-1. 

Both sides had a few chances during the remainder of the second stanza, with Shalulile missing an opportunity to score his second and Sundowns' third when he blasted over the bar, while Ohizu could only deflect a Webber corner wide of goal for Sekhukhune.

There was late