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Pretoria - Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane called his team the "Manchester United of South Africa" after they became the third league leaders within four days on Wednesday.
Former national coach Mosimane was upbeat despite an unimpressive 2-1 home win over Free State Stars in a Premiership game that came to life only in the second half.
"We displayed the character that has made Manchester United such a force in English football," proud Mosimane said at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria.
"My team never loses hope. It would have been easier for them to sit back and settle for a draw with five minutes left.
"But they remembered what I told them before the game - I stressed the three points were important and not how we got them."
Sundowns climbed to 17 points, two more than victorious Wits University, vanquished Moroka Swallows and inactive SuperSport United.
Surprise 2012-2013 runners-up Platinum Stars have 13 points, one above title-holders Kaizer Chiefs, who slumped 1-0 at lowly Ajax Cape Town.
Sundowns supporters hoping for a repeat of the seven-goal romp against AmaZulu the last time they played at home were let down.
The multi-national, star-studded, expensively-assembled home outfit created few first half chances and led 1-0 at half-time only because Free State were even poorer.
Zimbabwean Cuthbert Malajila, one of five foreigners in a line-up skippered by Dutch defender Alje Schut, nodded in a corner from Togolese Dove Wome on 27 minutes.
A Stars side unrecognisable from that which plodded through the opening 45 minutes levelled soon after the break via Camaldine Abraw, another Togolese.
The visitors wasted a great chance to go ahead soon afterwards when Ghanaian substitute Abdul Basit Adam blazed wide when he could have teed up the unmarked Danny Venter.
It proved a costly blunder as Mosimane sent on Sunday Moriri and the veteran scored a close-range winner four minutes from time.
A curling Sibusiso Vilakazi shot midway through the second half proved decisive as Wits edged Pretoria 1-0 in a Johannesburg clash of university sides.
Arrows climbed off the bottom after a shock 2-1 win over Soweto side Swallows in Durban, courtesy of early goals from Thanduyise Khuboni and Bongi Ntuli.
The turnaround of promoted Polokwane City - unbeaten in four games after losing five in a row - continued as they fought back to draw 1-1 with Durban visitors AmaZulu.
Ajax snatched victory three minutes from time through a header from 19-year-old league debutant Tasreeq Morris after a great run and cross by Abbubaker Mobara.
