Sundowns Ladies clinch first CWCL title

Sundowns introduced two changes from the semi-final victory over Malabo Kings, which saw Thalea Smidt and Andisiwe Mgcoyi recalled to the starting line-up.

The South Africans provided the first threat five minutes in when a glancing header from Mgcoyi off a corner-kick flew wide before Lerato Kgasago nestled the top of the net with a free-kick.

It wasn’t all plain sailing though for Masandawana following the middle period of the first half, as Hasaacas started to bomb forward and penetrated the defence of the Brazilians.

Although, Sundowns struck the first blow minutes from the half-hour mark after a telling cross from Mgcoyi allowed Chuene Morifi to attack and finish from close-range.

Hasaacas, who unleashed a substitute earlier in the first half, continued to see little of the ball and pacey forward play until a shot from afar put goalkeeper Andile Dlamini in a moment of doubt.

Masandawana quickly regained momentum and doubled their lead when Mgcoyi ran onto a ball in behind the defence and applied a composed finish, with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) approving the strike.

The Ghanaians looked for a lifeline in the last 15 minutes on the back of a free-kick by Pepertual Agyekum, but goalkeeper Andile Dlamini made a superb save.

With full-time looming, Sundowns threw on a substitution in the last two minutes as Mgcoyi went off the field of play in the favour of Rhoda Mulaudzi.

The match didn’t finish without late drama after VAR alerted the match official to a bone crunching tackle by Gina Mogolola on her opponent and the Sundowns substitute was sent off, although Sundowns had done enought to secure the title.

Source: kickoff.com