Bangaly Soumahoro’s strike gave Mamemlodi Sundowns a 1-0 victory against Golden Arrows in an Absa Premiership encounter on Sunday, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.

The visitors got off to a perfect start and found themselves ahead in the fifth minute when Soumahoro pounced on poor defending to give his side the lead from the corner.

Arrows looked dangerous in the final third and came close to equalising when Kudakwashe Mahachi’s quickly taken free-kick rattled the woodwork, with Denis Onyango well beaten.

Both teams appeared content on attacking but were let down by poor decision making in the final third as they went into the half-time break with the Sundowns in the lead.

The second half got off to a quiet start with both teams intent on not conceding. Arrows thought they were denied a legitimate penalty appeal after Mahachi went down in the box but his appeal fell on deaf ears in the 58th minute.

Sundowns should have doubled their lead in the 70th minute when Thapelo Morena’s cross was met by a volley from Sibusiso Vilakazi, but goalkeeper Nkosingiphile Gumede did well to keep out the goal bound effort.

In the end, it proved to be a frustrating afternoon for Arrows at the Princess Magogo Stadium as they succumbed to a 1-0 loss to Sundowns who moved to the top of the PSL table.

Arrows XI: 32. Gumede, 14. Dube, 21. Mngwengwe, 5. Mzava, 2. Nkombelo, 8. Cele, 11. Mahachi, 27. Magubane, 37. Ndwandwe, 41. Lamola, 19. Mutizwa.

Sundowns XI: 14. Onyango, 4. Langerman, 29. Soumahoro, 27. Morena, 32. Madisha, 7. Manyisa, 8. Kekana, 13. Mabunda, 11. Vilakazi 18. Zwane, 22. Tau

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