Ribeiro on target as Sundowns kick off PSL title defence with victory

The league's top goal-scorer from last season, Peter Shalulile, got his campaign up and running by converting a penalty before the hosts were reduced to ten men after Vusumzi Mncube was shown a straight red card.

The six-time defending champions got their second when new signing Lucas Ribeiro Costa from Brazil opened his goal-scoring account with Masandawana.

Jamie Webber, Sekhukhune's own new addtion to the squad from SuperSport United, pulled a goal back for his side on the hour mark.

Sundowns' task to defend their one-goal lead took a blow with five minutes remaining when defender Rivaldo Coetzee was given a red card and an early shower.

The home side should have taken the lead as early as the third minute but Chibuike Ohizu could not profit from a glaring error by Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

Sekhukhune then shot themselves in the foot in the 10th minute when Edwin Gyimah needlessly handled the ball in his own box and Shalulile stepped up to bury the spot-kick.

It went from bad to worse for the hosts when Mncube flew into a studs-up challenge on Teboho Mokoena with the referee having no option but to pull out the red card in the 16th minute.

Ribeiro got on the scoresheet in the 57th minute when another new signing Thapelo Maseko, who came off the bench, out-paced Daniel Cardoso and squared for the Brazilian who showed good composure before finishing.

Sekhukhune were back in the contest when Weber struck a low free-kick past Williams, the midfielder curling the ball around the Sundowns wall.

The home team fought until the bitter end to find the equaliser but Masandawana held firm to collect all three points and show why they are indeed favourites to win the title for a seventh consecutive season.

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