Brazilians turn on the style to send Chiefs packing
Mamelodi Sundowns cruised into the Carling Knockout semifinals after they dispatched 10-man Kaizer Chiefs 4-0 at the FNB Stadium on Saturday, 2 November.
A first-half brace from Iqraam Rayners put Nasreddine Nabi's side on the back foot and Peter Shalulile added a third goal before halftime, with Khuliso Mudau wrapping up the scoring just before the hour mark.
Bafana ba Style join Richards Bay in the penultimate round after the Natal Rich Boys eliminated Cape Town City 5-4 on penalties earlier in the day.
The visitors signalled their intentions early on when Rayners made a brilliant run into the box before getting a shot off that rattled the woodwork on six minutes and they hit the front just eight minutes later.
The referee pointed to the spot after Lucas Ribeiro went down under a challenge from Samkelo Zwane inside the 18-yard area and Rayners converted the penalty to register his second goal in the competition.
Amakhosi's evening got worse midway through the first half as the former Stellenbosch striker got on the end of Mudau's cross from the right to make it 2-0.
Shalulile threatened to extend Sundowns' lead just before the half-hour mark with a shot from inside the box that was well saved by Fiacre Ntwari, but the Namibian wasn't to be denied after he timed his turn to perfection to slot home Aubrey Modiba's pass on 40 minutes.
Ribeiro almost added a fourth two minutes later, but the frame of the goal came to Chiefs' rescue once more when his long-range curler came back off the post.
The Glamour Boys were in danger of imploding after Ignacio Miguel received his marching orders on 54 minutes for a foul on Shalulile just outside the box, having already been booked at the end of the first half.
It took the Brazilians only seven minutes to capitalise on their numerical advantage as Mudau latched onto a pass from Ribeiro and chipped Ntwari to put the game to bed.
There were further chances for Masandawana to add to the scoreline, but Teboho Mokoena sent his volley just over the crossbar on 74 minutes and Kutlwano Letlhaku fired just wide of the target moments later before Arthur Sales forced Ntwari into a save with his snapshot in the 88th minute.
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 0
Mamelodi Sundowns (3) 4 (Rayners 14' PEN, 22', Shalulile 40', Mudau 61')
KAIZER CHIEFS: F. Ntwari, R. Frosler (D. Solomons 46'), I. Miguel, R. Dortley, B. Cross, N. Blom (N. Ngcobo 62'), S. Zwane (Y. Maart 49'), G. Sirino (T. Ditlhokwe 56'), M. Shabalala, W. Duba (M. Vilakazi 49'), R. Chivaviro.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS: R. Williams, K. Mudau, G. Kekana, M. Mvala, A. Modiba, M. Allende, B. Aubaas, T. Mokoena, P. Shalulile, L. Ribeiro (T. Maseko 71'), I. Rayners (K. Letlhaku 70').
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