Sundowns close in on Chiefs after win over Stellenbosch FC

Mamelodi Sundowns moved to within four points of Absa Premiership log leaders Kaizer Chiefs after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Stellenbosch FC at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday.

It was Themba Zwane who got the all important goal early in the game with Masandawana having some nervy moments at the back before they closed out the result.

Sundowns came into the contest looking to bounce back after being knocked out of the Caf Champions League by Egyptian giants Al Ahly at the quarter-final stage on Saturday.

The visitors could not have asked for a better start though as Zwane finished off a lovely team move in the ninth minute of the game.

It was almost the perfect start for Pitso Mosimane's charges as they looked to gain maximum points from one of the two games in hand that they had on Kaizer Chiefs.

Stellenbosch though gave as good as they got and certainly gave the defending league champions a proper encounter.

The score remained 1-0 to the visitors at the half-time break but they had to survive a few anxious moments after the interval.

While Stellies were content to keep it tight at the back, they were always a threat on the counter-attack and from set-pieces.

It was from a free-kick that Stellenbosch should have equalised but Mogamad De Goede miskicked after a scramble in the penalty box.

The contest remained on a knife-edge with no team creating any clear-cut chances but with virtually the last kick of the game, De Goede produced a snap shot that Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango had to save smartly.

In the end Masandawana did just enough to take all three points from Cape Town.

The Tshwane club are now four points behind Amakhosi but do still have a game in hand on the Soweto side.