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Pretoria - SuperSport United upset English giants Manchester City 2-0 in their Nelson Mandela Football Invitational pre-season friendly at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday.
After a goalless first half, lanky Mame Niang and Kermit Erasmus netted in the 56th and 81st minutes, respectively.
Niang rose above the City defence for the opener before fellow substitute, Erasmus, sealed the deserved victory in the dying stages over their lethargic English Premier League opponents.
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It was United's enterprising play under new coach Cavin Johnson, who signalled a new era at the club after Gavin Hunt left for Wits having spent six years with the team.
They warmed the hearts of the sparsely attended fixture at the Pretoria venue with their exciting forays forward.
Matsatsantsa had showed their intent as early as the second minute with winger Bennett Chenene drawing a save from Joe Hart in the City goal.
They finished off an impressive victory in the second half, making a host of substitutions to give game time to the rest of the squad players, including all three of their goalkeepers.
The victory margin could have increased had substitute Clifford Mulenga managed to control the ball inside the penalty area where he was tackled before turning and shooting.
City, meanwhile, got off to the worst start possible under their new Chilean manager, Manuel Pellegrini, who took over from Italian Roberto Mancini.
The Manchester outfit looked a shadow of the team which won the English league last year.
Edzin Dzeko had a chance denied by Ronwen Williams midway through the first half, and there was a late effort from Ivorian Yaya Toure to salvage a goal.
Pellegrini gave a club debut to new signing Brazilian Fernandinho in a match where none of their stars looked a threat to the determined and more cohesive United outfit.
Manchester City now move their base to Durban, where they will play their final match of their South African stay against AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Thursday.
