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An own goal by Thabang Matuludi helped 10-man Mamelodi Sundowns beat a stubborn Polokwane City 1-0 in extra-time to advance to the MTN8 semifinals at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday.
Matuludi put the ball in his own net when he tried to intercept Teboho Mokoena's pass inside Polokwane's box in the 12th minutes into the first half of extra-time. In the last four, Sundowns will face Stellenbosch over two legs, starting at home. Orlando Pirates will take on Cape Town City in another semifinal, starting away.
Things turned ugly for the hosts in the 83rd minute when goalkeeper Denis Onyango was red-carded for saving Hlayisi Chauke's goal-bound effort outside his box.
Defender Mosa Lebusa had to move to goals until the start of the extra-time as the Brazilians had already made four substitutions before Onyango's red card. Rise and Shine couldn't test temporal goalkeeper Lebusa until Sundowns introduced natural one Jody February for left-back Terrence Mashego at the start of extra-time.
There were a few elements in the Sundowns starting XI that proved coach Manqoba Mngqithi was really eager to alter the way the team played under previous coach Rulani Mokwena. Mngqithi overloaded the midfield with four men in natural left-back Aubrey Modiba, Mokoena, Marcelo Allende and Lucas Riveiro, who played as winger for the better part of last season under Mokwena.
On the other hand, Polokwane opted to start their Bafana Bafana star Oswin Appolis off the bench amid speculations that he's about to be sold to an unnamed Algerian side. Appollis only entered the fray just two minutes before the hour mark, replacing Mokibelo Ramabu.
Ribeiro played more as a play-maker, a role that's been mainly played by Themba Zwane, who started off the bench in recent times. Rivaldo Coetzee also moved to centre-back to partner with Lebusa, having been used at central midfield for the better part of his stay at the club. Zwane would come on for Tashreeq Matthews on the hour mark.
Sundowns should have been two goals to the good as early as the 20th minute but talisman Peter Shalulile saw his two efforts in a space of five minutes hit the post. Ribeiro pulled the strings in the engine room, spraying long balls to locate Shalulile upfront and Mathews on the flanks.
Sundowns looked compact, forcing Polokwane to rely on counter attacks and in one moment the visitors nearly scored against the run of play, but Onyango pulled off double saves to deny Chauke and Cole Alexander, who attempted to pounce on a rebound with a brilliant header midway through the first stanza.
The hosts were still better even in the second stanza, missing a few good chances, especially Zwane and Thapelo Maseko. Even so, Rise and Shine's stubbornness forced Sundowns to be impulsive in their decision-making.
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