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Polokwane - Mamelodi Sundowns got their groove back with a 3-0 demolition of Polokwane City in their Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
A first half strike by forward Cuthbert Malajila, and second half goals from midfielders Themba Zwane and Teko Modise handed the defending league champions their fourth victory of the season.
The Chloorkop-based outfit with 13 points from seven games are eight points adrift of log leaders Kaizer Chiefs. The away result completed three consecutive victories in the league for the club.
Sundowns opened the scoring with a classic team goal in the 35th minute which was the result of superb link-up play between Modise, Elias Pelembe and goal-scorer Malajila.
Modise beat three tackles and lobbed a ball over to Pelembe, who in-turn unselfishly passed it to Malajila who duly converted in front of goal to make it 1-0.
Malajila then turned provider in the second half for the Brazilians when he gave the perfect short pass inside the box to Zwane, who slipped the ball into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
Ball dominance
The ever-green and industrious Modise was rewarded for his hard work when he beat the offside trap and calmly finished past the opposition goalkeeper Dino Visser and seal the 3-0 result.
The opening 10 minutes was a tentative start, with both teams weighing each other up before launching all out attacks.
City's best scoring opportunity came on the half-hour mark when they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box, after Sundowns defender Alje Schut was adjudged to have handled the ball.
City winger Jabu Maluleke blasted his free-kick shot into the defensive wall and Sundowns went unpunished. Maluleke nonetheless proved a handful for Sundowns with his unpredictable burst of pace and trickery.
The home side, though, threatened Sundowns in the first-half but never made use of their advantage and ball dominance.
In the 51st minute Zwane in tandem with Modise, took the attack to City on the right flank with slick movement and a lacerating run.
The only thing that stood between them and a brilliant goal was City goalkeeper Visser.
