Three goals in the final 20 minutes saw AmaZulu losing 3-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns in an Absa Premiership game played at a rainy Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

AmaZulu were very much in the game until they conceded the first goal in the 71 st minute.

First half action saw Sundowns making a bright start to the match as Katlego Mphela struck the upright with a low shot across the face of goal.

But following that effort, Amazulu came storming back in to the game and were ever so close to going in front when Marc van Heerden’s free kick was tipped by Downs keeper Brian Baloyi onto the post.

Ayanda Dlamini looked to get his name on the score-sheet in the 22 nd minute, curling the ball towards the top corner from outside the box, but Baloyi made another fine save.

There was no score at half-time, with the home team very much in the game until that point.

Following the restart, the game remained evenly poised with few chances in the opening stages of the second half.

But the deadlock was finally broken in the 71 st minute when Mphela snuck in at the near post to fire home from Siboniso Gaxa’s cross.

Gaxa was at it again for the second Sundowns goal, squaring for Lebohang Mokoena to do the rest.

Usuthu did their best to get back into the game, but it was not to be their day as a last minute penalty saw Mphela making it 3-0; to make matters worse for AmaZulu, Ntokozo Sikhakane was red-carded for the challenge that lead to the spot kick.

Teams

AmaZulu: Kakonje – S Biyela, Bishop, Mkhonza, Van Heerden – Mokoro (N Zwane 86’), Ngxabi, T Sangweni (Sikhakhane 79’), S Hadebe – Ngwenya (Ritson 78’), A Dlamini

Sundowns: Baloyi – Gaxa, Xulu, Booth, Mdledle – Nyandoro, Pattison (Moriri 85’) – L Mokoena, Khenyeza (Ngubane 82’), Pelembe (Vilakazi 84’) – Mphela