Rayners’ late brace sinks Sekhukhune as Sundowns close in on Pirates

Mamelodi Sundowns kept pace with Orlando Pirates in the PSL title race following a hard-fought 3-1 win over Sekhukhune United on Sunday.

The score will surely flatter Sundowns but the game was anything but easy as Sekhukhune made that work hard for their win.

However, as it has become their norm this season, Sundowns left it late with two goals in the dying embers of the game doing the job for the Brazilians

Sundowns dominate early exchanges

Sundowns went ahead in the 31^st minute when Marcelo Allende curled home a beauty after being teed up by Arthur Sales. The Brazilian passed to the Chilean who was in space on the edge of the box and he fired home an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

That is how it stayed as Sundowns went to the break leading 1-0 and upon resumption, Sekhukhune upped the ante.

However, it was Sundowns who had the best chance which fell to Aubrey Modiba, the left-back firing over the bar, as they missed a chance to extend their lead.

Both sides huffed and puffed but in the 70^th minute, Babina Noko got their well-deserved equaliser.

Rayners’ late act completes the job

Against the run of play, Grobler received the ball at the back post and headed past Ronwen Williams after getting behind the two Sundowns centre-backs.

It looked like the game would end 1-1 but Sundowns had other ideas. On the counter-attack, Lebo Mothiba found Iqraam Rayners with a well-timed pass and the striker slotted home after reacting quickest to turn it around.

This was after 81 minutes and it looked like that was how it would end but Sundowns still had another goal in them as Rayners scored his second of the game and a third for his team.

Victory sees Sundowns move level on 41 points with Orlando Pirates but second on the log due to an inferior goal difference.