There needed to be a hero so along came playmaker Khama Billiat to score the winner for the Downs.
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The stage was set, the crowd was decent and there needed to be a hero. So along came Zimbabwean playmaker Khama Billiat, who emerged to score the winner and give Sundowns’ CAF Champions League dreams a massive shot in the arm.
Billiat’s strike helped Sundowns to overcome a stubborn 10-man TP Mazembe from DR Congo.
African powerhouse Mazembe were not hungry enough but Sundowns let them off the hook. It looked bleak for the home side before Billiat intervened with a late strike.
Mazembe had a good presence in the stands but on the pitch the Congolese giants were not their usual lethal selves. However, Sundowns also didn’t press them.
After eight minutes, Sundowns left-back Tebogo Langerman took matters into his own hands by rifling a long-ranger that sailed justover the crossbar.
Three minutes later, Mazambe forward Roger Assale tested goalkeeper Dennis Onyango, who was equal to the task.
There were always going to be questionable decisions from the middle man and referee Hamada El Moussa from Madagascar did raise eyebrows when he failed to award what looked like a genuine penalty after Downs right-back Siyanda Zwane was fouled in the box.
Instead, the official booked Zwane for assimilation.
Billiat and Anthony Laffor did give the Mazembe defence trouble but chances that came their way were not as impressive.
The only fault in Downs’ midfield was that Hlompho Kekana and Bongani Zungu did not take advantage of the space Mazembe them. Zungu looked to be battling nerves with a series of stray passes, while Zungu’s place was taken by Teko Modise just before the break.
Before that, hopeful Sundowns fans were made to curse as their players missed chances.
They witnessed Themba Zwane’s shot go over the bar, and Billiat and Alje Schut came close with headers, but most of the chances did little to trouble keeper Robert Kadiaba.
With the likes of Ally Samata and Zambian star Rainford Kalaba quiet, Sundowns should have made things happens, but things turned worse for the visitor when the referee sent off defender Chongo Kabaso for a double-footed tackle on Laffor, who retaliated but was let off the hook.
Sundowns continued to miss chances in the second half. A promising move by the six-time PSL champions saw Schut find Laffor on the edge on the box on the right. The Liberian did well to cross for Billiat, who pulled the ball back for Malajila, whose left-footed shot was saved by Kadiaba.
The match turned into a monotonous affair before Loftus burst into raptures as Downs celebrated with Billiat firing past Kadiaba.
A minute later, Mazembe nearly pulled one back through Kalaba. The Zambian captain was allowed onto the edge of the box and he cut in before firing over the bar.
Sundowns should have added another when Modise, Zwane and Billiat combined superbly.
Sundowns take the advantage into the second leg in Lubumbashi in three weeks’ time, but with the kind of performance they dished out last night, it remains to be seen if they’ll go much further.
Loftus Versfeld
Mamelodi Sundowns: 1
Billiat 85
TP Mazembe: 0
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