Urban Warriors run foul of Sundowns
HERMAN GIBBS
An erroneously awarded penalty condemned relegation-doomed Cape Town Spurs to defeat against the DStv Premiership champions-elect Mamelodi Sundowns in Green Point on Tuesday.
Brazilian Lucas Costa scored the penalty in Sundowns’ 1-0 win who with 52 points are runaway log leaders. The goal allowed Costa to shoot to the top of the Premiership's leading goalscorers chart.
Despite enjoying a mammoth 86% possession for most of the first half, Spurs held out well and seemed set to keep their defence intact by the time the half-time break dawned. However, three minutes before the break, Spurs’ efforts for a first-half clean sheet were undone by referee Thabo Mkhabela when he pointed to the penalty spot.
The lively Spurs midfielder Asenele Velebayi fouled Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile and Mkhabela judged the offence to take place inside the Spurs penalty area, and duly awarded the penalty. Television replays showed that the offence was committed outside the penalty area.
Without the benefit of VAR, the erroneously awarded penalty could not be overturned.
While Sundowns continued to dominate, Spurs produced a few scoring manoeuvres which they failed to capitalise on.
On the night, Lady Luck smiled on Sundowns because Spurs had at least two penalty appeals turned out. The two contentious calls could have gone the other way and possibly changed the outcome of the match.
At one stage towards the end of the second half, Spurs looked like they could salvage a match point, but it was not to be. Their second-half substitute Keagan Buchanan came within a whisker of scoring, but his effort was held out by the woodwork.
Sundowns made four second-half substitutions in an effort to beef up their attack, but the fresh legs did not have the desired impact. In the closing stages, Spurs looked the better side despite coming up against a side made up almost exclusively of internationals.