Mamelodi Sundowns regain the summit after blunting Golden Arrows

Maybe the pieces are beginning to fall into place.

After a tentative start which had this expensively assembled squad called into question, Mamelodi Sundowns are beginning to find their feet.

On Saturday night at the University of Pretoria, they fought hard to get the better of this stubborn Arrows side 2-1 as they finally registered first back-to-back victories in the league this season.

This win also took them to the top of the DStv Premiership standings with 16 points from eight starts and the other good news for them is that main attacker Peter Shalulile has found form.

Though they are sitting on top of the pile, they are not at their rampaging best and co-coaches Manqoba Mngqithi, Steve Komphela and Rulani Mokwena will welcome the forthcoming break to fine-tune areas that need improving.

The Brazilians return to action on September 18 when they host AmaZulu but it is the same for Arrows co-coaches Vusumusi Vilakazi and Mabhudi Khenyeza whose next competitive outing is a day earlier against Swallows at the Princess Magogo Stadium.

Going into this match, Mngqithi, Komphela and Mokwena made three changes to the team that beat Chippa United 1-0 during the week to refresh the team.

In those changes, Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena and Neo Maema were replaced by Sifiso Ngobeni, Sphelele Mkhulise and Sipho Mbule, respectively.

This was the first start for Mbule after six substitute appearances in all competitions and the first appearance of the season for Ngobeni on his return from a loan spell at SuperSport United last season.

In the heart of the defence, the coaching trio persisted with imposing midfielder Mothobi Mvala as central defence with Grant Kekana, who has recovered from injury, on the bench and Brian Onyango is still out injured.

For the visitors, Vilakazi and Khenyeza made only one change from their 3-2 win over Chippa United, with Saziso Magawana making way for Lungelo Dube.

To find holes in this Sundowns defence that conceded only four goals before this match, the coaching duo put their hopes on Pule Mmodi, Knox Mutizwa and Nduduzo Sibiya with little reward as they could not find the equalizer.

Midway through the half, Arrows were lucky to continue with a full complement of players as Nqobeko Dlamini only received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Khuliso Mudau.

Sundowns opened the scoring shortly before the half-time break when Shalulile’s penalty kick had too much pace and power to beat Arrows goalkeeper Nkosingiphile Gumede, who had dived the right way.

For the penalty, Marcelo Allende released Shalulile, who used strength to overpower Arrows defender Ntsikelelo Nxadi, but the advancing Gumede hacked the Namibian inside the box.

Referee Masixole Bambiso was left with no choice but to point to the spot and Shalulile stood up to hammer home his sixth goal of the season.

Arrows got the second half to a good start as Mmodi’s speculative shot somehow found its way past the Sundowns defence and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams for the equalizer.

Sundowns got the much needed lead in fortuitous circumstances when Arrows defender Siyavuya Ndlovu shot himself in the foot by beating his own goalkeeper in a desperate attempt to clear the danger on the hour-mark.