Sundowns snare rare league double to sink hapless Kaizer Chiefs

At the FNB Stadium

Mamelodi Sundowns recorded their first-ever Premier Soccer League-era double against Kaizer Chiefs through a 1-0 win that promised more than it delivered on Saturday night.

Having crushed Chiefs 4-0 in the first encounter on 13 August last year, Neo Maema's 20th goal was enough to separate the sides in what was a contest Sundowns shaded.

If it wasn't for unnecessary casualness at the back and in the final third, the victory margin should have been wider.

In recent seasons, Sundowns have struggled in the return games against Chiefs and this success, their 15th win of the season and their 12th consecutive win, was savoured by their "Yellow Wall" who sang through the music at the football coliseum.

With the win moving Sundowns to 46 points, Chiefs were subjected to a third successive loss this year and a seventh for the season and remain on 24 points

Rhulani Mokwena will carry all the smiles while Arthur Zwane will again struggle to find answers even though Chiefs displayed an effervescence that was missing in their losses against Sekhukhune United and AmaZulu.

Sundowns' goal through Maema was the stuff generally seen on PlayStation football, where the visitors played themselves out of a Chiefs press and surged their way up the right-hand flank.

It was as if the hosts were shocked by the speed of Sundowns' movement and by the time Themba Zwane's cross was pushed to Khuliso Mudau, who then threaded the ball to Maema's weaker right foot, Chiefs' defenders had stopped.

Chiefs captain Itumeleng Khune watched the ball as best as he could, but could do nothing about the shot that thundered past him.

In what was a first half of plenty of shots at goal, especially from Sundowns, but few clear-cut chances, the lead-up to