Mamelodi Sundowns registered their second win in the 2019 CAF Champions League Group A after defeating Asec Mimosas 3-1 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane on Friday night.
The victory took the South African champions Sundowns to the top spot of the group, while Ivorian side Asec Mimosas slipped down to the fourth spot on the table.
The Brazilians dominated the match from the start and they deservedly broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the encounter.
Mosa Lebusa powered home a header at the back post following some good work by Gaston Sirino on the left flank to make it 1-0 to Sundowns.
Ahmed Herve Diomande scored an equalizer from the spot for the visitors five minutes later after Lebusa was penalized for bringing down Salif Bagate inside the penalty area.
Diomande nearly doubled his tally just four minutes later when he ran onto Thomas Gonazo’s clever through-ball but he curled a shot just over from the edge of the box.
The Brazilians managed to gain control of the match after the half-hour mark and they nearly scored through Antony Laffor.
The Liberian forward’s effort was magnificently saved by Mimosas shot-stopper Karim Cisse in the 36th minute.
However, the Mimosas defense, which was marshaled by Oumar Sako, looked solid and organized.
The first chance of the second half didn’t take long to arrive as Lebohang Maboe forced Cisse into a fingertip save with a shot inside the area within a minute of the restart.
Themba Zwane was proving to be a thorn in the visitors’ defense and turned provider as the hosts restored parity in the 56th minute.
The Brazilians looked dangerous on the counter-attack and they came very close to extending their lead two minutes later.
Mimosas had the chance to level matters on the hour mark, but after Kalpi Quottara raced clear of the defence he was unable to hit the net, sending a left-footed shot just wide of the far upright.
The visitors took control of the match in the final 20 minutes of the game and, in the 76th minute, Bagate Salif forced Denis Onyango into a great save with a left-footed shot.
There was another chance for Salif eight minutes from time, but he was unable to curl his left-footed shot inside the far post, going just wide.
Sundowns got their third goal in the dying minutes of the game when Emiliano Tande chipped the ball over Cisse to make it 3-1 in the 90th minute with Zwane grabbing an assist.
Here’s how they lined up:
Sundowns: Onyango, Morena, Nascimento, Lebusa, Lakay, Kekana, Mabunda, Laffor (Tade 83′), Zwane, Maboe (Ngcongca 83′), Sirino.
ASEC Mimosas: Cisse; Angbandji, Sako, Coulibaly, Ouattara, Renardo Gonazo (Toure 66′), Ndao, Diomande, N’Tamon (Badie 60′), Yao (Tapsoba 61′), Bagate.
